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The Robotics & Artificial Intelligence MEng is an innovative new degree launching in 2023. Professor Steve Hailes (Head of UCL Computer Science) who co-wrote the course, shares some insights.
Steve, can you tell us why this programme is happening now?
There is no conceivable future for society that does not have robots at the heart of it. The current generation of children and teenagers don’t know what it’s like not to have a mobile phone.
Future generations will not be able to conceive how you could live your life without robots.
At UCL Computer Science, we have world leading expertise in artificial intelligence (AI). Robotics needs AI to push forward and evolve. And at the new UCL East campus, we have space to run a variety of robots.
Everything has come together at the right time for us to be able to offer a comprehensive and one of a kind programme to students.
What is the programme about?
It's about the combination of technologies – computer science, electronic, mechanical and AI based technologies – that go together to make intelligent robots, built on a strong mathematical foundation.
The aim of the course is to develop people with the skills to create and lead the next generation of technologies that will transform society – not just in robotics, but also in computer science and engineering.
UCL Computer Science has been transforming society for the last 30 or 40 years. This is about offering people the opportunity to work with our research experts to become leaders in this field.
How is the field of robotics changing?
I believe that robotics will be a discipline in its own right in a few years’ time. When I first joined UCL Computer Science just over 30 years ago, most people in the department had a PhD in it and perhaps a Master’s, but there were relatively few with undergraduate degrees in it then.
I think robotics is at that point now. We’re at the point of creating this new discipline, and nurturing experts to lead the development of this profound new technology. It’s an exciting time.
Some people are sceptical about robots, and whether they’re a good or bad thing for society. What would you say to this?
Technology exists as an enabler for society, and robotics should be developed with this in mind. Robots can help us in many ways. For example, I’ve done some work with robots, by sending drones to investigate areas of volcanic activity in the Caribbean which are inaccessible to humans.
Ethics touches everything we do on this programme. We don’t have a specific module on it because it’s something I want people to be thinking about all the time. Students will be trained to consider not just whether we can innovate something, but whether we should.
What will graduates get from this programme?
Graduates will be numerate, and they'll have experience in computer science, engineering, robotics and AI. They'll get a good sound education in leading edge technology, and a portfolio of careers will be open to them.
We’re keenly aware that computer science – and the world more generally – does not stand still.
It is just 15 years since the first iPhone came out; now smartphones pervade every aspect of life. So we're not really about training people in a very specific technology, because that will grow old very fast.
Instead what we do is educate people in the fundamentals of the subject, and then we look at the practical application of those fundamentals using the technology of the day.
We’re creating practitioners. Not just people who can reproduce maths, engineering or computer science in exams. But people who can actually use their knowledge for practical situations, to do real things with it.
What kind of hands on work will students do?
We have been building up a broad range of robots for UCL East in both research and teaching.
We have 144 action motion cameras, hoists for heavy robots, a variety of legged, wheeled and flying robots, manipulators, robot hands, sensors, AR and VR systems, 50 teaching robots and 50 sensor cameras.
As in the research world, to this will be added simulated systems, which are able to represent a very broad range of robots, including those too hard or expensive to build, and a broad range of physical environments.
Project work runs throughout the programme, consolidating the theory that students learn. Students do everything from working on individual research projects to working directly with industrial partners on projects.
The projects are based on problem solving – so students are given a problem, and they can select a solution based on their knowledge. They have a lot of tools in their toolbox, and understanding which tools are useful, and when they are useful, is all part of the process.
In terms of assessment, this programme does not involve a traditional model of teaching and exams. So the third term of each year is for project work, instead of this being an exam period.
This allows students to use the knowledge they've gained, pull it together and use it synthetically to become a practitioner.
What kinds of jobs are out there right now for graduates with this skill set?
The breadth of skills students gain mean they could go into careers in diverse fields, including finance, general engineering and the high tech industry as well as specifically into robotics.
Moreover, given the emphasis on AI, they would also do well in any industry that AI touches – and AI is incorporated into pretty much everything technological now.
In respect of robotics, I’m personally excited about the potential for robots to learn to work alongside humans – so, not just in factories or other very controlled settings, but out in the wild, in our homes and in our workplaces, enhancing human capabilities.
We're also preparing people for further research through this programme, not just for industry. There is a lot of opportunity for graduates to become the next generation of researchers in this field.
The average reported starting salary for graduates of the undergraduate computer science programmes in UCL is £53,000 at the moment so, whatever they do, the chances are graduates will be reasonably well paid out of this!
What kind of students do you think should apply for this programme?
Students do need to be strong in maths to apply for this course and this is the only requirement we specify in our entry criteria.
Further maths, physics or computer science would be helpful, but we know that not every student has the opportunity to undertake these and the overriding attributes we’re looking for in students is a desire to engage practically with the subject, curiosity, self-drive, and communication and leadership skills – as team working is a big part of our industry.
This programme is developing technologies that will change the nature of society. If society is not reflected in the developers of these technologies, then we're going to embed biases all over those technologies.
That is not a good thing for society. So, we really want a diverse cohort of students to be part of this programme.