Robotic Visions

'Robotic Visions' aims to provide a unique platform for two-way discussion and debate between young people and robotics researchers. This dialogue project involves a nationwide programme of five separate 'visions conferences', to be held at various geographical locations throughout the UK (Bristol, Newcastle, Aberystwyth, Glasgow and Oxford) in association with key robotics research laboratories and experienced host venues (science centres and universities).The direction of each conference will be led by the participants themselves - both students and researchers - who will work together to identify the issues and topics that are of most concern to them. Each conference will provide a distinctive high quality in-depth engagement experience for all the participants, and will consist of two distinct phases: 1) a divergent phase - where participants are given the opportunity to explore the uses and potential of robotics, bringing their creativity and personal aspirations to the fore2) a convergent phase - where key priorities and themes are identified by the participants and a list of key recommendations (considering a range of stakeholders and audiences including government, and other researchers and young people) is produced.A celebratory session will be included at the end of each conference, to which key stakeholders will be invited. Part of this celebration will include the formal presentation of the participants' shared vision to the local stakeholders. This brief overview will be followed up by a short report compiled after each conference which draws out key cross-cutting themes from the discussion.In addition, opinions gathered at all the conferences will be used to feed into an over-arching policy document relating to robotics research development. These findings will be widely disseminated, for example to the policy departments of relevant government bodies and learned institutions, and made available to relevant existing networks, giving the students and roboticists a chance to have their opinions heard.