ARIA Robotics Dexterity Challenge: Call For Feedback
INTRODUCTION
We imagine a future where robots are collaborative, lending a helping hand in every task possible: sorting recycling, operating machinery, and preparing lab samples. In order to get there, we are challenging roboticists worldwide to develop autonomous systems with state-of-the-art dexterous capabilities.
Robotics systems tend to be designed for specific, repetitive tasks in highly controlled and structured environments. As such, robots have difficulty completing both fine and coarse tasks, handling unseen, delicate or deformable objects, and dealing with changing conditions or uncertainty.
We want to see the development of reliable autonomous robotic systems with:
• advanced multi-functionality (the ability to complete a range of different types of tasks)
• adaptability (the ability to handle variability e.g. delicate and deformable objects, previously unseen objects, and working in a range of conditions).
For the past 3 months, Challenge Works have been consulting with experts and stakeholders within the robotics industry to design a global challenge that will incentivise breakthrough technologies that push the limits of robotic dexterity and strengthen the UK robotics industry.
This is our working prototype for the design of the challenge, which we plan to launch in 2025. As part of our design process, we are asking for feedback so that we can continue to refine the design.
You can leave us suggestions on how to shape this initiative by using this form
A £1 million grand prize will be awarded to the team that achieves the grand challenge: developing an autonomous system with advanced dexterous capabilities capable of operating successfully in a real-world use case.
The grand challenge will focus on demonstrating a single real-world application. For instance, a technician robot, capable of operating in a life science laboratory. The grand prize will be awarded for successfully performing a scenario in which the robot can work in a lab, aiding cancer researchers in preparing and conducting experiments in a wet lab. To complete this scenario, the winning team’s robot will need to demonstrate a full range of dextrous capabilities in a realistic environment.
Other possible options for the grand challenge include: a healthcare assistant robot, capable of supporting healthcare professionals; a chef robot, capable of cooking complex meals in professional kitchens; or a reduce, reuse and recycle robot, capable of completing a range of tasks to support a circular economy, such as disassembling electric vehicle batteries.
The grand challenge will be highly challenging: we don’t expect any teams to achieve it right away.
However, the annual challenge events (see below) are an opportunity to break down the grand challenge into smaller, more manageable dexterity challenges and accelerate progress towards the grand challenge.
Each year, teams will gather at a testing facility to demonstrate their progress and collect awards by entering and advancing through challenge tracks, each one focusing on a different aspect of robotic dexterity required to achieve the grand challenge.
For example, if the grand challenge were about creating a technician robot, capable of supporting researchers in life science labs, the challenge tracks might include: disinfecting workspaces; weighting out and preparing agar before pouring it into Petri dishes; sterile handling of a range of objects found in a lab such as flasks, pipettes and other delicate and flexible objects like plastic tubing.
In each track, participants can advance through a series of increasingly challenging tasks with growing rewards ranging from £50k-250k per task. As one task is accomplished, the next, more difficult task, is unlocked.
GRAND CHALLENGE
*Final number of challenge tracks and tasks within each track to be decided.
To become eligible to attempt the Grand Challenge, you have to enter the same robotic system into ALL other tracks, and benchmark well against each qualifying task.
By advancing through the tracks, teams can demonstrate adaptability: the tasks incorporate increasing levels of variability e.g. by introducing more unseen objects and increasingly dynamic environments.
Grand prize
1 prize of £1m
By entering multiple tracks, teams can demonstrate multi-functionality: each year, the team that completes multiple tasks to the highest level will be awarded an additional £100k prize, with 50k awarded to the runner-up.
Once teams have achieved a high-tier level of task across all of the tracks, they can attempt the grand challenge, which combines elements from each track, in order to win the grand prize.
Table 1: The scale of prizes and seed funding amounts (number and value of awards are still to be confirmed).
Challenge tracks 4 tracks of with 5 levels each, awards of £50k, £100k, £150k, £200k, and £250k per task
Total: £3m
£100k for first place
£50k for second place
Total: £150k/year
Seed funding for UK teams
£50k grants for 10 teams
Total: £500k/year
CHALLENGE
ANNOUNCEMENT
Description of the upcoming challenge.
Information on tasks and judging process.
SEEDFUNDING
APPLICATIONWINDOW
Seed-funding provided to UK-led teams (10 grants £50k each).
CHALLENGEEVENT
APPLICATIONWINDOW
Global engagement campaign and call for applications to join this year's cohort of entrants
CHALLENGEEVENT
25 teams invited to take part to win prizes and attempt to solve the grand challenge.
151211105430
Repeatsannually
SEEDFUNDING ALLOCATED
ENTRANT ASSESSMENT &SELECTION
INVITATION TOEVENT
This is a global initiative: we strongly encourage start-ups, spin-outs, SMEs and academic labs from across the world to participate.
The application window to take part in the challenge event will open 4-5 months before the event and the successful entrants will be informed 3 months before the event.
Some highly motivated teams may struggle to take part in the challenge without upfront financial support. Therefore, while this is not a grant program, we plan to award £50k grants to 10 UK-led teams each year. This funding is intended to support the transportation of your robots or to match funds needed for development. Applications for this funding will open a year before the event, though please note that it may take a few months for funds to be disbursed.
You can leave us suggestions on how to shape this initiative by using this form