Urban Robotics and Automation: Critical Challenges, International Experiments and Transferable Lessons for the UK

Abstract

The White Paper was commissioned by the EPSRC RAS Network as part of a series of papers that scope the state and future research priorities in robotics and automated systems. The White Paper is the first to identify a distinctive urban agenda, highlighting the urban issues that robotics and automation can address. Emphasis is placed on a whole city approach and the need for supportive governance and regulation for meaningful spaces of urban experimentation. Examples from the USA, Africa, Japan and Dubai demonstrate the potential scale and scope of urban robotic applications.