Mission to investigate mechatronics in Russia

A De Montfort University Leicester product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 20, 2006

Cutting-edge aerospace, defence and production technologies being developed in Russia will be the subject of a fact-finding mission led by De Montfort University (DMU).

Cutting-edge aerospace, defence and production technologies being developed in Russia will be the subject of a fact-finding mission led by De Montfort University (DMU).

Researchers at the University's Mechatronics Research Centre (MRC) are co-ordinating the visit to Moscow and St Petersburg, which aims to find out more about developments in the field and establish links for future collaborative opportunities.

The mission is taking place from 13th to 17th November and is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) Global Watch Service.

Global Watch helps small groups of influential experts from industry and academia to visit other countries with the aim of boosting UK companies through the sharing of knowledge.

Delegates on the mission will include representatives of MBDA UK, Mitsui Babcock, Rolls-Royce and RU Robots.

Professor Philip Moore, Head of Research and Commercial Development at DMU's Faculty of Computing Sciences and Engineering, is the lead academic for the mission.

He said: "The mission is all about identifying the potential that exist in mechatronics technology in Russia which could benefit UK industry in areas such as aerospace, production machines and defence technologies".

"It provides a unique opportunity to assess the technological standing of Russian science and technology in this domain and compare it with the UK.

The mission will be looking at a range of organisations within these sectors including research institutes, companies and universities".

"It will also include a workshop at MSTU Stankin in Moscow to enable a wider exchange of information with other organisations".

The mission will feature a number of visits to companies and scientific organisations specialising in mechatronics technologies.

Delegates hope to visit some twelve organisations during the four-day mission, including: the Moscow State Technical Universities Stankin and Bauman; Moscow Institute of Radio Technology, Electronics and Automation; Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre; Central Research Institute for Machine Building; State Research Centre of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics; National Research Institute for Aviation Technology; St Petersburg State Polytechnical University; and the Russian Aircraft Corporation.

Mechatronics is a form of engineering which combines mechanics, electronics and computing.

The Mechatronics Research Centre is one of the UK's premier centres for mechatronics research.

Staff at the centre have carried out research into areas as diverse as the use of mobile robots for underground pipeline inspection and the repair and development of smart home appliances (eg refrigerators, washing machines) that can communicate remotely.

The mission's findings will be presented at a one-day seminar early in 2007 which will feature presentations by the delegates and the launch of the detailed Mission Report.