A £36 million project involving Heriot Watt and Edinburgh universities is to develop robots to work in hazardous offshore environments.
The new machines will limit the need for people to work in dangerous areas to inspect, repair and maintain offshore energy platforms.
The Offshore Robotics for Certification of Assets Hub (ORCA) involves Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh, three other universities and dozens of industry bodies.
It is to create “robot-assisted asset inspection and maintenance technologies ... capable of making autonomous and semi-autonomous decisions and interventions across aerial, topside and marine domains”.
Professor David Lane, director of the ORCA Hub, said: “The offshore workforce is ageing as the new generation of qualified graduates seek less hazardous onshore opportunities.
“The goal is to develop shore-operated autonomous and semi-autonomous solutions for inspection, maintenance and decommissioning of offshore energy infrastructure using robotic systems.”
Project leaders also believe new technology is needed to keep the offshore industry economically viable.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here