Sir James Dyson invests £5million in robotics lab at London's Imperial College

 
Investment: James Dyson is aiming to help bring about 'previously unthinkable technologies'
Staff|Agency10 February 2014

Sir James Dyson has revealed he is investing £5million into a robotics lab at London's Imperial College, and claimed "previously unthinkable technologies" could be made possible.

The bagless vacuum cleaner inventor, 66, said rapid innovations could be secured if robots could see what was happening around them - making "our lives easier".

The lab, at one of the world's leading research universities, will focus on vision systems which it is hoped will lead to new robotic capabilities to create a generation of robots that will intelligently react to changes because they understand the world around them.

Sir James said: "My generation believed the world would be overrun by robots by the year 2014. We now have the mechanical and electronic capabilities, but robots still lack understanding -seeing and thinking in the way we do.

"Mastering this will make our lives easier and lead to previously unthinkable technologies."

Dyson has been researching robotics for the past 15 years, and since 2005 it has been working with Imperial College and Professor Andrew Davison to develop machines that use vision to logically navigate their surroundings.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are one area of study, alongside research into other types of domestic robots.

Prof Davison said: "A truly intelligent domestic robot needs to complete complex everyday tasks while adapting to a constantly changing environment.

"We will research and develop systems that allow machines to both understand and perceive their surroundings - using vision to achieve it."

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