About the ERL
Pioneering autonomous systems for unstructured and hazardous environments.
Who We Are
The Extreme Robotics Lab (ERL) is one of the UK's largest and best-equipped flagship robotics R&D facilities.
Based at the University of Birmingham, we operate a 1,000 m2 on-campus lab alongside the Sustainable Robotics Centre at BEIC. Our mission is to pursue cutting-edge multi-disciplinary Robotics and AI (RAI) research, and apply these methods to real-world engineering problems. In so doing, we aim to benefit end-user stakeholders spanning a range of critical industries.
Our thesis is that practical industrial problems, of major societal and economic importance, offer extremely complex intellectual and technical challenges, requiring new research advances that extend well beyond the current state-of-the-art in RAI theory and practice.
The roots of our lab and team originated in our international track record of developing advanced robotics for nuclear and other "extreme" environments, where complex tasks must be performed in zones that are too hazardous for human workers. This includes a number of landmark deployments and world-first achievements of advanced autonomous robotics on nuclear sites.However, our research advances are in RAI fundamentals. These are generic and widely applicable to numerous other types of industries and applications.
We are always keen to explore new topics and research challenges with new partners from industry and academia.
World-Leading Impact
A World-First Achievement:
"In 2017, collaborating with the UK National Nuclear Lab, we delivered the first autonomous AI-controlled robot ever deployed inside a live radioactive environment. The system successfully laser-cut contaminated metal at the Springfields nuclear site."
National Leadership
- National Centre for Nuclear Robotics (NCNR): Founded and led the £42m UK consortium uniting 10 universities; over 400 peer-reviewed papers in its first four years alongside landmark nuclear-site deployments.
- Faraday Institution (ReLiB): Leading the robotics pillar of the £17m national hub since 2018, demonstrating robotic disassembly of half-tonne EV battery packs, now expanding via ?1.1m robotics funding within the REBELION consortium.
Our Facilities
1. ERL Campus Laboratory
Our 900m? custom-designed campus lab features an in-lab supercomputer, advanced manipulators, and high-resolution 3D imaging systems.
This space supports our mobile platforms (wheeled and tracked) and serves as a testing ground for Human-Robot Interaction (HRI).
2. BEIC Industrial Test-Bed
Our second facility is a unique, full-scale industrial test-bed located at the Birmingham Energy Innovation Centre (BEIC).
This site features heavy-duty robot arms (KUKA KR500) capable of handling multi-tonne payloads with 0.05mm precision. It is critical for our research into battery pack disassembly and nuclear waste handling.
Educational Outreach
Inspiring the next generation of roboticists.
We are passionate about engaging with the public and schools. The ERL regularly organizes STEM Robotics Masterclasses, ranging from one-hour workshops to full-day events.
Prof. Rustam Stolkin collaborates with the Royal Institution (London) to deliver masterclasses and 6-week STEM series. We aim to show students that STEM careers directly contribute to solving global challenges like nuclear safety and sustainability.