The universities and institutions highlighted on this map represent a vibrant network of research groups and efforts dedicated to advancing HRI. The UK-HRI topic group works towards mapping HRI research within the UK and providing guidance for emerging researchers in the associated fields of HRI, as well as establishing a baseline methodology that ensures the involvement of relevant user groups and supports reproducibility in HRI.
By fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and government, the UK is shaping a future where humans and robots can work together seamlessly and safely.
Information for labs in Scotland
The National Robotarium
Heriot-Watt University
Themes: Social robotics, Assistive technologies, Trustworthy Systems, Cognitive robotics, Education
Location: National Robotarium Boundary Rd N, Third Gait, Edinburgh EH14 4AS
Availability: Monday, 16 March. 1400 - 1600
Sign-up: here
Contact: Daniel Hernández García (D.Hernandez_Garcia@hw.ac.uk)
Institute for Design
University of Edinburgh
Themes: Design robotics, social robotics, embodied NLP, soft robotics
Location: Institute for Design Informatics, Bayes Centre, 47 Potterrow, Edinburgh, EH8 9BT
Availability: TBD
Contact: Frauke Zeller (fzeller@ed.ac.uk) and John Vines (John.vines@ed.ac.uk)
ENU-HRI Group
Edinburgh Napier University
Themes: Assistive Living, Robot design, Dialogue
Location: 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH10 5DT
Contact: Carl Strathearn (C.Strathearn@napier.ac.uk) and Emilia Sobolewska (e.sobolewska@napier.ac.uk)
Glasgow Social Robotics
University of Glasgow
Themes: Social robotics, Multimodal interaction, Public interaction
Location: Sir Alwyn Williams Building University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8RZ
Contact: Mary Ellen Foster (maryellen.foster@glasgow.ac.uk)
Machine Vision Research Group
Robert Gordon University
Themes: Computer Vision, Activity Recognition, Behaviour Analysis
Location: Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7GJ
Contact: Eyad Elyan (e.elyan@rgu.ac.uk)
Robotics and Wearable Systems Lab (RoWeS Lab)
University of Aberden
Themes: Perception, control, and distributed AI, edge computing, bioelectronic sensors, e-skins, and soft robotics for healthcare applications
Location: Meston Building, Room G33,Old Aberdeen Campus, Meston Walk, AB24 3UE
Contact: Zhenhua Yu (Zhenhua.yu@abdn.ac.uk) and Ferdian Jovan (ferdian.jovan@abdn.ac.uk)
Information for labs in England
Robotics Research Group
University of Hertfordshire
Themes: Social companions, Assistive technologies, Nonverbal interaction, Trust and Credibility
Location: University of Hertfordshire, School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science, College Lane Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB, United Kingdom
Contact: Patrick Holthaus
Cambridge Affective Intelligence & Robotics Lab
University of Cambridge
Themes: multimodal, social, and affective intelligence for AI / robotic systems, socially assistive robotics, Continual / Federated Learning mental / emotional wellbeing, AI fairness, Explainability
Location: William Gates Building, 15 JJ Thomson Ave, Cambridge CB3 0FD
Availability: March 13 & March 23
Sign-up: here
Contact: Dr Irmak Dogan (fid21@cam.ac.uk)
Aspirational Computing Lab
University of Cambridge
Themes: Voice Interaction, Social Identity, Inclusive Design and Intersectionality, Deceptive Design and Sycophancy, Trust and Reliance
Location: William Gates Building, 15 JJ Thomson Ave, Cambridge CB3 0FD
Contact: Katie Seaborn (kas214@cam.ac.uk)
L-CAS group
University of Lincoln
Themes: Agri-Food Technology, Healthcare, Education.
Location: Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS
Contact: Francesco Del Duchetto (fdelduchetto@lincoln.ac.uk) and Leonardo Guevara (lguevara@lincoln.ac.uk)
Intelligent Robotics Group
University College London
Themes: Humanoid navigation and interaction, Social Robots for Education, LLM for Social Robots
Location: G07, Intelligent Robotics Research Group, One Pool Street, UCL East
Contact: Daniel Tozadore (d.tozadore@ucl.ac.uk)
Robotics for the Social Good Lab
University College London
Themes: Education, Disability Studies, Accessibility, Embodiment, Ethnography, Religion
Location: UCL, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom.
Availability: March 20th, 1000-1600
Contact: Yifan Butsik Feng (yifan.b.feng@ucl.ac.uk)
Personal Robotics Lab
Imperial College London
Themes: Assistive Robotics, Physical HRI, Cognitive HRI, User modelling, Personalisation
Location: Imperial College London, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Personal, Assistive, and Intelligent Robotics Lab (PAIR Lab)
Imperial College London
Themes: robotic tutoring, in-the-wild robotics
Location: Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Ln, London W12 0BZ
Contact: Nicole Salomons (n.salomons@imperial.ac.uk)
HyPAIR (Hybrid Planning for AI & Robotics)
University of Birmingham
Themes: Robot Planning, Cultural/Social Robotics, Multi-Agent Systems
Location: School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT
Availability: March 23th to 27th
Contact: Masoumeh Iran Mansouri (m.mansouri@bham.ac.uk)
Smart Interactive Technologies (SIT) Lab
Sheffield Hallam University
Themes: human-robot interaction, machine intelligence, cognitive robotics, social robotics, neuromorphic computing, cybersecurity
Location: Room 4114 Sheaf building, Sheffield Hallam University City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB. Meeting point is the Hertha Ayrton STEM Centre, opposite the train station.
Contact: Samuele Vinanzi (s.vinanzi@shu.ac.uk)
Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare (CATCH)
University of Sheffield
Themes: Healthcare, Assistive robotics, Rehabilitation
Location: The Innovation Centre, 217 Portobello, Sheffield, S1 4DP
Social AI & Robotics Lab (SAIR)
King's College London
Themes: Multimodal perception, machine learning, human-robot interaction
Location: King's College London, Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Department of Engineering, Strand, London WC2R 2LS
Canal Lab
King's College London
Themes: Robot behavior personalization based on preferences, Explainable Robot Behavior, Decision-making in human environments
Location: Department of Informatics, Bush House, 30 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG
Availability: TBD
Contact: Gerard Canal (gerard.canal@kcl.ac.uk)
Assistive Robotics Group
Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL)
Themes: Assistive Robotics, Healthcare Robotics, Ageing and Dementia Technologies, Smart Walkers and Mobility Support, Rehabilitation Robotics, Wearable Sensing, Assisted Living, Smart Materials & On-Body Technologies
Location: Bristol Robotics Laboratory University of the West of England Frenchay Campus Coldharbour Lane Bristol, BS16 1QY
Availability: 20th or 24th of March
Contact: Sergio David Sierra Marín (sergio.sierramarin@uwe.ac.uk)
Cyber-physical Health and Assistive Robotics Technologies (CHART)
University of Nottingham
Themes: Physical robot interaction, Healthcare, Shared control, Nuclear Robotics, Assistive robotics
Location: School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road, Nottingham, NG8 1BB
Cognitive Robotics Lab
The University of Manchester
Themes: Cognitive and developmental robotics, Language, Health and social care, Trust
Location: Department of Computer Science, Kilburn Building, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL
Information for labs in Wales
Intelligent Robotics Group
Aberystwyth University
Themes: Assistive living, Companion robots, Developmental robotics, Field and applied robotics, Space robotics
Location: Aberystwyth University, Reception, Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3FL
Contact: Patricia Shaw
The Human Centred Computing and Robotics Lab
Cardiff University
Themes: Computational robotics, HRI, task and motion planning, world representation and modelling, error handling, embedded AI, educational robotics, assistive robotics.
Location: Cardiff University, Abacws Building, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff, CF24 4AG
Availability: TBD
Contact: Victor Romero Cano (RomeroCanoV@cardiff.ac.uk)
Intelligent Robotics Lab
Swansea University
Themes: HRI, Robotics, NLP, & Vision
Location: Intelligent robotics lab swansea uni Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea, SA1 8EN, UK
Availability: TBD
Contact: Muneeb Imtiaz Ahmad (m.i.ahmad@swansea.ac.uk)