Robot visits UPIC students on campus

Incredible design work from the University of Plymouth robotics team. 

The UPIC campus buzzed with excitement as a four-legged robot strutted onto the scene. Although it wasn’t technically a robot dog, it certainly moved like one! We watched it climb stairs, race across the pavement, and bounce over small obstacles. It even crushed the perfect backflip. 

These tricks are very exciting, but the primary design of this robot is to help improve agricultural techniques in the UK. Jake Shaw-Sutton, Lecturer in Applied Robotics at University of Plymouth, explained that it uses advanced sensors and AI to check crop health, examine soil conditions, and analyse a larger surface area in more detail than people can on foot.  

In fact, this robot can pinpoint the exact moment produce is ready to harvest. Around 40% of global food goes to waste because it’s picked either too early or too late. It’s great to know that this kind of tech has the power to contribute to a more sustainable future. 

We discovered that the robot is much heavier than it looks! It weighs 15KG, it has a little fan on the front to keep it cool, and the battery lasts anywhere from 2-4 hours. Engineering students at UPIC were particularly engaged and quizzed Jake on the science behind the design. It sparked a lot of chat about the future of robotics, not just in farming, but also in areas like the climate crisis and the wider environment.  

Our aim is to engage STEM students with other innovative machines from the University. The Engineering & Robotics Foundation course at UPIC, along with the Engineering Pre-Masters course, gives students access to these cutting-edge inventions. It’s all about helping students to picture themselves in these roles, working towards building the tech of the future.