UK Invests £23M in Touch-Sensitive Robots – ARIA’s Bold Bet on the Future of Robotics
The UK’s answer to DARPA – the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, or ARIA – has just invested £23.3 million into nine teams working on something very specific: robotic dexterity.
That means better robotic hands – not just for cool sci-fi moments, but to help solve real-world problems like supporting our ageing population and dealing with labour shortages.
ARIA’s teamed up with companies like Shadow Robot, Ocado Technologies, and Touchlab in Scotland, to push forward both hardware innovation and advanced control systems. Think robots that can gently handle a teacup and operate in complex environments.
This funding is part of a wider £57 million initiative called the Robot Dexterity programme, with contributions from top minds at Bristol and Imperial, blending AI learning with physical performance.
Of course, ARIA itself was born out of Brexit-era ambition – launched with a planned £800 million budget – but now faces a new challenge: the upcoming UK spending review. With public finances under pressure, all eyes are on which budgets stay… and which get a trim.
Still, programme director Jenny Read says they’ve built a “carefully curated” portfolio of projects — from tactile sensors to experimental approaches — all aiming to put the UK at the forefront of next-gen robotics.
So while the future may be uncertain, one thing’s clear: UK robots are getting a better grip – literally.
And that’s your robot news update for today!
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