The world’s fastest robot to line up alongside techno-wonders in university science showcase

The fastest robot in the world will be among the many technological wonders taking centre stage at a special exhibition of university research on the Hoe next week.

The fastest robot in the world will be among the many technological wonders taking centre stage at a special exhibition of university research on the Hoe next week.

Ferdinand, the recently-crowned world champion and record holder of the sprint and marathon titles, will line up alongside robots that are learning to speak, cutting edge artificial eye technology and innovative videogame demonstrations at Plymouth University’s Science and Technology Showcase.

The event, which is free and open to members of the public from 1pm – 4pm, is being hosted as part of its graduation celebrations on Plymouth Hoe, and is expected to attract hundreds of school children to its interactive stands.

Ferdinand, who won the FIRA (Federation of International Robot-soccer Association) Robo World Cup last week in Taiwan has been flown in for a special demonstration of his running prowess, and will be joined by a host of other robots, including iCub – the centrepiece of a multi million Euro project into language acquisition.

Visitors will be able to ‘score goals’ using a football simulator that tracks eye movement, fly like a seagull in a videogame created by a University student using the Xbox 360’s Kinect peripheral, and get to grips with paddle board and surfing simulators.

And for those of a younger disposition, there will be opportunities to learn to ‘howl like a wolf’, ‘walk like a dinosaur’, fly in a virtual paraglider, and engineer some ‘snot’!

Professor Richard Gibb, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology and Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University, said: “We are going to be showcasing a wide range of science and technology research, stretching from the depths of the oceans to the boundless possibilities of the virtual environment.

“Our aim is to engage the public with the wonders of science and technology and inspire the next generation of scientists. And the Hoe is a fitting location for this event as it embodies the spirit of discovery and exploration that lies at the heart of our research.”

The event will boast CSI-style forensic demonstrations; psychology tests and optical illusions; quad bikes and laser scanners, and even a special demonstration of a crane which enables scientists to investigate life in the highest canopies.

There will also be a host of games and new smartphone apps from the School of Computing, including flight simulators, retro videogames running on iPads and a special remote-controlled quadrocopter.

The Science and Technology Showcase will take place on Tuesday 13 September, in the graduation marquee on the Hoe.