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Projects


Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/W001136/1
Title ORCA Stream B - Towards Resident Robots
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Ocean Energy) 50%;
Renewable Energy Sources(Wind Energy) 50%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics) 30%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 30%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 40%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Professor Y Petillot
No email address given
School of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Heriot-Watt University
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 April 2021
End Date 31 March 2022
Duration 12 months
Total Grant Value £1,915,361
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region Scotland
Programme ISCF Robotics
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Professor Y Petillot , School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University (99.985%)
  Other Investigator Professor P Cawley , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London (0.001%)
Dr F Cegla , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London (0.001%)
Dr I Havoutis , Engineering Science, University of Oxford (0.001%)
Dr D Flynn , School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University (0.001%)
Dr M Erden , School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University (0.001%)
Dr S Wang , School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University (0.001%)
Dr T Lim , School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University (0.001%)
Dr K S Lohan , Sch of Mathematical and Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University (0.001%)
Dr A Stokes , Sch of Engineering and Electronics, University of Edinburgh (0.001%)
Dr M Kovac , Aeronautics, Imperial College London (0.001%)
Dr S Leutenegger , Computing, Imperial College London (0.001%)
Professor S Vijayakumar , Sch of Informatics, University of Edinburgh (0.001%)
Dr Z Li , Sch of Informatics, University of Edinburgh (0.001%)
Dr X Huang , Computer Scienc, University of Liverpool (0.001%)
Dr M Jump , Mech, Materials & Aerospace Engineerin, University of Liverpool (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , EDF Energy (0.000%)
Project Contact , Babcock International Group plc (0.000%)
Project Contact , Ove Arup & Partners Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , BP International Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Total E&P UK PLC (0.000%)
Project Contact , Lloyd's Register (0.000%)
Project Contact , SeeByte Limited (0.000%)
Project Contact , Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (0.000%)
Project Contact , Fugro Geoconsulting SAS, France (0.000%)
Project Contact , Createc Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Wood Group (0.000%)
Project Contact , Barrnon Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , European Metal Recycling (EMR) (0.000%)
Project Contact , Flyability (0.000%)
Project Contact , Helvetis (0.000%)
Project Contact , Holcim Technology Ltd. (0.000%)
Project Contact , Ross Robotics Limited (0.000%)
Project Contact , SLAMcore Limited (0.000%)
Project Contact , Technology Leadership Board (0.000%)
Project Contact , Voliro (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract The international offshore energy industry is undergoing as revolution, adopting aggressive net-zero objectives and shifting rapidly towards large scale offshore wind energy production. This revolution cannot be done using 'business as usual' approaches in a competitive market with low margins. Further, the offshore workforce is ageing as new generations of suitable graduates prefer not to work in hazardous places offshore. Operators therefore seek more cost effective, safe methods and business models for inspection, repair and maintenance of their topside and marine offshore infrastructure. Robotics and artificial intelligence are seen as key enablers in this regard as fewer staff offshore reduces cost, increases safety and workplace appeal. The long-term industry vision is thus for a digitised offshore energy field, operated, inspected and maintained from the shore using robots, digital architectures and cloud based processes to realise this vision. In the last 3 years, we has made significant advances to bring robots closer to widespread adoption in the offshore domain, developing close ties with industrial actors across the sector. The recent pandemic has highlighted a widespread need for remote operations in many other industrial sectors.The ORCA Hub extension is a one year project from 5 UK leading universities with over 20 industry partners (> 2.6M investment) which aims at translating the research done into the first phase of the Hub into industry led use cases. Led by the Edinburgh Centre of Robotics (HWU/UoE), in collaboration with Imperial College, Oxford and Liverpool Universities, this multi-disciplinary consortium brings its unique expertise in: Subsea (HWU), Ground (UoE, Oxf) and Aerial robotics (ICL); as well as human-machine interaction (HWU, UoE), innovative sensors for Non Destructive Evaluation and low-cost sensor networks (ICL, UoE); and asset management and certification (HWU, UoE, LIV). The Hub will provide remote solutions using robotics and AI that are applicable across a wide range of industrial sectors and that can operate and interact safely in autonomous or semi-autonomous modes in complex and cluttered environments. We will develop robotics solutions enabling accurate mapping , navigation around and interaction with assets in the marine, aerial and ground environments that support the deployment of sensors for asset monitoring. This will be demonstrated using 4 industry led use cases developed in close collaboration with our industry partners and feeding directly into their technology roadmaps: Offshore Renewable Energy Subsea Inspection in collaboration with EDF, Wood, Fugro, OREC, Seebyte Ltd and Rovco; Aerial Inspection of Large Infrastructures in Challenging Conditions in collaboration with Barrnon, BP, Flyability, SLAMCore, Voliro and Helvetis; Robust Inspection and Manipulation in Hazardous Environments in collaboration with ARUP, Babcock, Chevron, EMR, Lafarge, Createc, Ross Robotics; Symbiotic Systems for Resilient Autonomous Missions in collaboration with TLB, Total Wood and the Lloyds Register. This will see the Hub breach into new sectors and demonstrate the potential of our technology on a wider scale
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 20/08/21