Researchers: Dr Carl Strathearn, Dr Emilia Sobolewska, Dr Jamy Li and Dr Callum Goddard.
Workshop took place at the Merchiston Campus with Passion4Fusion in July 2025
Our public engagement project set out to make robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) education more inclusive, engaging, and accessible to children from a wide range of backgrounds. With support from the funding, we were able to design and deliver a series of workshops that introduced young people to social robots in creative and interactive ways.
The workshops used Oh Bots, programmable, expressive robots, as a starting point for learning. Children were encouraged to take part in design activities, explore demonstrations, and interact with the robots directly. This hands-on approach not only sparked curiosity but also gave participants the confidence to experiment and imagine themselves as future innovators.
Importantly, our engagement extended beyond the children themselves. By involving parents, teachers, and local community organisations such as the charity Passion for Fusion, we were able to raise broader awareness of robotics and AI. This helped families to see robotics not as something distant or overly technical, but as approachable, creative, and fun.
The project also gave us, as researchers, the chance to connect with groups outside the University and gain valuable insights into the high level of public demand for robotics education.
At the same time, it highlighted the importance of careful collaboration and safeguarding when working with external partners, an experience that will inform our future engagement activities.
Looking ahead, the resources we have acquired and developed, including the Oh Bots, will continue to be used in outreach activities. For example, we are already preparing to run a session at the ADA Scotland Festival in October 2025, alongside other public engagement events.
By inspiring curiosity and building bridges between schools, universities, and communities, we hope to support young people on a future-proof learning journey into robotics and AI.