Our goal
\nTo release the bottlenecks in robotic dexterity and create vastly more capable and useful machines.
\n\n
Why this programme
\nBreakthroughs in AI are transforming robotic abilities, but the development of robot bodies has not kept pace with advances in computation. Robots cannot achieve the flexibility, speed, and precision of human manipulation, rendering them useless for many of the difficult or dangerous tasks where we need them most.
\nThe need to improve robot dexterity comes at a critical time. The proportion of the world’s population aged 65+ is expected to triple by 2100, while labour deficits for physically demanding work are set to increase. Robots have the potential to ease these labour shortages and boost prosperity but to do so, we must close the gap between what robots and humans can handle.
\n\n
What we’re shooting for
\nWe’re funding an array of cutting-edge research across robot hardware and advanced simulation, with the ambition to usher in a new era of dexterity.
\n\n\n
Read the accessible version of the programme thesis
","mediumLayout":false,"fullWidth":false},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"medium","height":0},{"type":"quote","quote":"\"Breakthroughs in AI are poised to make robots far more flexible and capable of helping with the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that humans don’t want to do. But robotic bodies are lagging behind. This programme aims to catalyse advances in robot bodies, ultimately enabling them to handle objects with the skill and dexterity that humans do.\"
","author":"Jenny Read","role":"Programme Director","image":{"src":"/media/hx1a0tsr/jenny-pd-1-1.jpg?width=600&height=750&format=webp&v=1db374628c79b10","alt":"Jenny PD 1 (1)"}},{"cards":[{"title":"Novel Hardware","text":"Focuses on innovative components and new approaches to designing and building hardware to enable dexterity. ","step":"TA1"},{"title":"Socioeconomic Considerations","text":"Focuses on exploring the socioeconomic considerations of increased automation enabled by robot dexterity.","step":"TA2"},{"title":"Modularity, Interoperability, Common Standards","text":"Focuses on facilitating modularity, interoperability, and some common standards within robotics.","step":"TA3"}],"type":"numbered-cards","heading":"Technical Areas","subHeading":"This programme is split into three Technical Areas (TAs), each with its own distinct objective:"},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"small","height":0},{"type":"team-cards","items":[{"image":{"src":"/media/hx1a0tsr/jenny-pd-1-1.jpg?width=1000&height=1000&format=webp&v=1db374628c79b10","alt":"Jenny PD 1 (1)"},"name":"Jenny Read","text":"Jenny Read is a visual neuroscientist, previously trained in theoretical astrophysics. Her work focuses on how we can build smarter bodies for robots through new modes of sensing, transmission of sensory information, and actuation through hardware advances. Jenny joined ARIA from her role as Professor of Vision Science at Newcastle University.","position":"Programme Director"},{"image":{"src":"/media/0pgl4ax0/paul-brown-headshot.png?width=1000&height=1000&format=webp&v=1db4c94a7105da0","alt":"A photo of Paul Brown smiling at the camera against a dark grey background."},"name":"Paul Brown","text":"Paul joined ARIA from a project management role at a global market research company. He previously worked on delivering the COVID-19 vaccination deployment programme. Paul holds an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London and a BSc in Geography from the University of Exeter. Paul supports ARIA as an Operating Partner from Pace.","position":"Programme Specialist"},{"image":{"src":"/media/yuufbf0y/radhika-gudipati.jpg?width=1000&height=1000&format=webp&v=1db4c9550f36c90","alt":"A photo of Radhika Gudipati smiling and standing against a cream background. "},"name":"Radhika Gudipati","text":"Radhika has fifteen years in the robotics industry and is passionate about entrepreneurship, laboratory automation, and sustainability. She works between engineering and user perspectives, drawing from her roles at Ocado Technology and Shadow Robot, where she focused on robotics research and business solutions. Radhika holds a PhD in robotics for healthcare from the University of Hertfordshire.","position":"Technical Specialist"}],"title":"Meet the programme team","text":"Our Programme Directors are supported by a Programme Specialist (P-Spec) and Technical Specialist (T-Spec); this is the nucleus of each programme team. P-Specs co-ordinate and oversee the project management of their respective programmes, whilst T-Specs provide highly specialised and targeted technical expertise to support programmatic rigour.
"},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"small","height":0},{"type":"news-insights","title":"Featured insights","sliderTitle":"","sliderLink":null,"featured":{"title":"Robots to be given tactile ‘skin’ and dexterous hands","text":"The Observer
\nA startup working on tactile robotic “skin”, allowing machines to feel objects rather than relying on vision, is among nine projects that received £23.3m in government funding to solve the problem of robot dexterity.
","image":{"src":{"mobile":"/media/1ikmiid4/robotstheobserver.webp?width=300&height=375&format=webp&v=1dbdad9c676e280","tablet":"/media/1ikmiid4/robotstheobserver.webp?width=440&height=550&format=webp&v=1dbdad9c676e280","desktop":"/media/1ikmiid4/robotstheobserver.webp?width=600&height=750&format=webp&v=1dbdad9c676e280"},"alt":"Robot hand holding a red apple","title":""},"link":{"target":"_blank","isActive":true,"text":"Read more ","href":"https://observer.co.uk/news/business/article/robots-to-be-given-tactile-skin-and-dexterous-hands","title":"on observer.co.uk"}},"items":[{"title":"Jenny Read tells Harriet about her \"vision\" for the future of robotics","tag":"Podcast","date":"29 January 2025","outlet":"Lab Matters","image":{"src":"/media/wlmaf2ta/jennylabmatterspodcast.jpg?width=400&height=400&format=webp&v=1dbad522ab83380","alt":"Jennylabmatterspodcast"},"link":{"target":"_blank","isActive":true,"text":"Listen now ","href":"https://labmatters.podbean.com/e/ep-43-professor-jenny-read-tells-harriet-about-her-vision-for-the-future-of-robotics/","title":"on LabMatters.com"}},{"title":"Advancing robot hardware innovation through ARIA's new UK research initiative","tag":"Podcast","date":"02 January 2025","outlet":"Audrow Nash Podcast","image":{"src":"/media/nrsjzp3w/jenny-pd-1-1.jpg?width=400&height=400&format=webp&v=1db3acbdc08d4e0","alt":"Jenny PD 1 (1) (1)"},"link":{"target":"_blank","isActive":true,"text":"Listen now ","href":"https://audrownashpodcast.com/posts/17-aria","title":"on audrownashpodcast.com"}},{"title":"Can ARIA put the UK back on the scientific map?","tag":"News","date":"02 October 2024","outlet":"Wired UK","image":{"src":"/media/ky0gc3dz/wired-piece.png?width=400&height=400&format=webp&v=1db4c887dbaf7f0","alt":"A photo of Matt Clifford, Ilan Gur and Angie Burnett looking at the camera. Matt and Angie are sat down and Ilan is standing."},"link":{"target":"_blank","isActive":true,"text":"Read more ","href":"https://www.wired.com/story/aria-moonshot-darpa-uk-britain-great-again/?utm_campaign=wired&utm_medium=share","title":"on wired.com"}},{"title":"‘It’s the robot we were all expecting – like C3PO’: why aren’t humanoids in our homes yet?","tag":"News","date":"23 September 2024","outlet":"The Guardian","image":{"src":"/media/yx0jm5yw/robotdexterityguardian.png?width=400&height=400&format=webp&v=1dbaa30ebf6be10","alt":"Robotdexterityguardian"},"link":{"target":"_blank","isActive":true,"text":"Read more ","href":"https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/sep/22/its-the-robot-we-were-all-expecting-like-c3po-why-arent-humanoids-in-our-homes-yet","title":"on TheGuardian.com"}}]},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"small","height":0},{"type":"standout-copy","title":"Sign up for updates","text":"Stay up-to-date on our programmes and opportunity spaces.
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