Biodiversity robots deployed at Blenheim Estate
Blenheim Estate is to trial robots in order to help monitor and enhance biodiversity.
The historic estate will employ the technology to gather data on the health and biodiversity across its projects.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, in association with Oxford Robotics Institute and Oxford Biology, test the autonomous ecosystem monitoring programme that uses robots to gather information about species diversity via imaging sensors.
Founded in 2010 the Oxford Robotics Institute is an independent interdisciplinary institute within the Department of Engineering Science at University of Oxford.
“We are excited to be working with ORI on this pilot scheme,” said Blenheim’s Head of Innovation David Green.
“The estate, with its ancient woodlands, heritage sites and parkland, provides a hugely diverse environment. It’s effectively a ‘living laboratory’ where new research and technologies can be trialled and tested.
“Our goal is to use innovation to solve real-world problems across the estate and working together with experts like the ORI will allow us to do that much more effectively."
Read more - Innovation to inspire at Venturefest South 2022
The partners are also working on creating a digital 3D model of the Palace linked to climatic, environmental and building fabric monitoring devices which will help to predict the potential impacts of climate change.
Other joint projects in the Blenheim-University of Oxford innovation partnership involve biologists, heritage scientists and biotechnologists developing new ways to identify, map and explain the location and effects of lichen and other biological growths on the Palace’s façade.
A third project will utilise drones to create high resolution 3D imagery of the Palace’s stonework to identify sections containing iron and develop innovative, remote, and non-invasive methods to monitor them.
“Oxford Robotics Institute’s mission is to develop the technology necessary to allow robots to be useful in challenging environments,” said Professor Nick Hawes, Director of the Oxford Robotics Institute.
“A major part of our development process is testing our innovations in the real world, as part of field trials. Having the amazing Blenheim site just up the road allows us to quickly test new systems in environments from fields and forests, to cafes and courtyards, and this allows us to get further faster with our scientific aims,” he added.
Read more - Southampton FC awarded ‘Outstanding Email Creative’ at the Dotdigital Awards
Main image Spot the robo-dog in the Green Writing Room at Blenheim Palace, credit Blenheim.
