Entrepreneurship key factor for the future

Four years ago, Geoff Pegman, an active promoter of robotics development, came in contact with Robotdalen for the first time. As key note speaker at the annual event Robotdalen day he painted a picture on how to strengthen the robotics industry in Europe. Since then he’s had regular contact with Robotdalen and now, four years later, I took the opportunity for a follow-up interview.

Geoff Pegman is Managing Director at R.U.Robots Ltd in Manchester, UK, a small high tech robotics company that sells R&D-services to other companies. But Geoff’s involvement in robotics stretches far beyond that. He is SME Representative in EUROP (the European Robotics Technology Platform), Vice President at the International Advanced Robotics Programme in the UK, Company Secretary at the British Automation and Robot Association, Chair at the Institute of Engineering Technology Professional Network for Robotics and Mechatronics. And the list goes on.

- My objective is to help develop the European robotics industry and get robots that assist people into mainstream use, says Geoff Pegman.

EUROP/EURON-conference coming up

When asked of his biggest achievement so far, Geoff speaks of EUROP (the European Robotics Technology Platform). An industry-driven framework for stakeholders in robotics to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in robotic R&D, that he helped set up in 2004. On April 6-8, 2011 Robotdalen hosts the event, now a joint annual conference for both EUROP and EURON (EUropean RObotics research Network).

- Two of Robotdalens biggest strengths, that I hope to see several examples of at the conference, are industrial applications of robotics technology as well as practical applications within health robotics and field robotics, says Geoff.  The conference is an excellent step for Robotdalen to increase its visibility in Europe and I hope to see more direct involvement from Robotdalen in European projects up ahead.

What has happened in Europe?

One aspect that Geoff talked about four years ago was that SME’s needs to play a major role in strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in robotics. I’m keen to know if and how that has developed?

- After the recession more SME’s have emerged, they play a major role in developing new robotics solutions and they’re doing well, Geoff establishes. One important factor to work with though is an increased interest in entrepreneurship among students to encourage them to start their own businesses. Generally that is not perceived as an opportunity, which needs to change to secure the future development of SME’s.

Another thing addressed in our previous interview was setting up an advanced robotics industry in Europe to challenge the US and Asia and I ask Geoff what has happened in that area?

- It hasn’t progressed as fast as I would have liked, but we’re taking steps to get there and we are holding our own, especially in the field of professional service robots. The big challenge now is to discover a killer application for the domestic area – that’s affordable for people to buy for their homes.