Scotland's first ever showcase of the latest advancements in robotics and automation will be on show in Inverness as on 06-07 February.

The free event is organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise at the An Lòchran Inverness Campus and is designed to de-mystify the subject of automation and robotics for interested Scottish businesses of all sizes.

In particular, the showcase will demonstrate how a range of industries, from manufacturing and engineering, to construction and timber can benefit from advances in robotics and automation to become more productive and efficient.

The two-day showcase will be made up of seminars, demonstrations and workshops giving real-world examples of how this technology can benefit businesses and what support exists for them.

Talks include Professor David Lane from the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics discussing the current revolution in manufacturing, SP Technology's Roy Henderson mapping out the process of automating production and George Paterson from Mitsubishi Electric explaining the pros and cons of robot arms compared to collaborative robots.


Attendees will also hear from Tim Warrington of robot hire specialist Bots talking through a range of client case studies, Dr Cade Wells from Glasgow-based innovation centre, CENSIS explaining real-life application of sensors and the 'internet of things' and Kenneth Maddock from the High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute (HSSMI) discussing how cobots can work alongside shop floor workers and staff.

The event will offer up the chance for participants to get more involved, with two sets of practical workshops. On day one, 'Manufacturing 4.0 Review' from the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) will illustrate how investing in automation and robotics can scale output, maximise margins and deliver performance and value to customers.

Then on day two, a workshop by Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) will outline the types of automation and robotics solutions available to the construction, and timber manufacturing industries.

Demonstrations will include a range of robots and cobots including the Universal Robots UR5 cobot, the Franka Emika Panda (a robot arm inspired by human agility), Sawyer's smart cobot that can be trained to carry out a task in minutes, and Mobile Industrial Robots that can be used for the cheap and efficient transport of heavy loads.

April Conory, #hellodigital's Project Manager at HIE, said: "Automation is changing the way we work and creating new opportunities for businesses but there's also the risk of being left behind. Education in this area is key and our event offers businesses the chance to gain access to current and future tech and so they can make more informed decisions about how to invest.

"This event will bring a real sense of what the future of manufacturing looks like and where the opportunities lie for businesses. Through panel discussions, tech demonstrations, innovative showcases and structured networking, we're offering the perfect platform for identifying mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships."