SAMS Hosts Training Course for the Era of Environmental Robotics

As the use of robotics in data collection increases, the Scientific Robotics Academy, based at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban, will host two courses this March: "Environmental monitoring using autonomous platforms" and "Applied photogrammetry for environmental monitoring."

The courses come amid the rapid expansion of twin technologies of AI and robotics, which are transforming the way tasks such as survey work and species identification can be completed.

Based at beginner to intermediate level and intermediate to advanced level, respectively, the courses aim to help improve career prospects for researchers, engineers, planners and environmental managers.

“By the end of this decade we will have seen a huge change in how we collect data. The affordability and reliability of autonomous systems means that recording data in this way is very much the current direction of travel," said Dr. Phil Anderson, who heads up the Scientific Robotics Academy. “Those who are familiar with such systems and understand their strengths and limitations will be ideally placed to not just adapt to this change, but help to develop and influence how robotics is used. Our course gives participants practical experience with autonomous systems and the necessary data processing skills to support that.”

The new offering follows on from a development course run by the Scientific Robotics Academy last September.

The new courses are backed by Argyll and Bute Council, with renewable energy developer Nadara part-sponsoring places on the courses for the first 10 applicants.