The Robotics group is one of the best-equipped and best-connected groups in the UK. It owns the Robot Arena, a 100m2 laboratory with a 6m ceiling height for flying robots, a powered floor for long-duration experiments, and state-of-the-art 3D-motion tracking for single and multiple robots.

Robotics research at the University of Essex focuses on autonomous mobile robotics, and addresses a wide range of research questions.

These include

Sensor signal processing (laser, vision, sonar, infrared and tactile) and interpretation (e.g. for novelty detection)

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, self-organisation, emergent phenomena

Industrial applications of robotics (e.g. material handling, field robotics, human-machine interaction)

Biologically inspired robotics and machine consciousness

Research is conducted in two large research laboratories on campus, the Brooker laboratory and the new £4m Robot Arena, which was opened in 2004.

• Research in the field of robotics
• Robotics research: Mobile robotics
• Robotics research: Field robotics
• Robotics research: Human-machine interaction
• Robotics research: Biologically inspired robotics
• Robotics research: Machine consciousness