Max Taylor-Davies

Robots have the potential to revolutionise the world's economy and society over the next twenty years, working for us, beside us and interacting with us. The robotics and autonomous systems area has been highlighted by the UK Government in 2013 as one the 8 Great Technologies that underpin the UK's Industrial Strategy for jobs and growth. Heriot-Watt University (Engineering and Physical Sciences, Mathematical and Computer Sciences) and the University of Edinburgh (Informatics, Engineering) are jointly offering an innovative 4 year PhD training programme, drawing on our long standing record of postgraduate education in the robotics and autonomous systems area, and research supervision drawing on our established background in all of the above mentioned areas. This will provide individually tailored course and project portfolios during the first year of the programme, ensuring that all students will have a strong grounding in current theory, methods and applications, with flexibility for strategic individualised study, and strong support leading to a specialised PhD project in subsequent years. A key focus of our Centre is to produce innovation-ready graduates - who can not only make fundamental advances in the theory and development of robotics technology, but also have the skills to take these advances through to achieving impact in the form of new products and new companies. Moreover, the course will develop teamwork and presentation skills and give students a broad appreciation of the ethical issues associated with the Robotics and Autonomous Systems area. The Centre includes the National Robotarium, a world-leading centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, creating innovative solutions to global challenges.