Free STEM exhibition in Edinburgh: come and explore recent developments from robots to renewables
Edinburgh Napier University is throwing open its Engineering & Robotics doors this May, and everyone is welcome to see what the people behind its School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment are working on.
Whether you’re thinking about studying or you just want to learn more about how things work, this free two-day event at its Merchiston campus is open to all.
On Wednesday, May 13, and Thursday, May 14, you can explore research developments from robots to renewables, hear from students working on racing cars and find out what the teaching is like at ENU.
The exhibition, which is titled Micro to Macro: Worlds within Worlds, aims to demystify science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). And its organisers want to give Edinburgh residents the chance to try out parts of their ground-breaking research and chat to lecturers and researchers.
To find out more, visit their website and read on for all the details.
What to expect from ENU’s Micro to Macro exhibition
"This is our fifth exhibition, and we have seen interest go from strength to strength over the last four years," says Dr John McDougall, one of the organisers.
There are 18 exhibits featured this year, and some of the most attention-grabbing will be from the robotics team. "Humanoid robots form a significant part of this year's offering and we are delighted to be visiting again the work that the school does in its humanoid robotics," he adds.
Visitors can expect to meet four robots with differing degrees of sophistication: there are OhBots, the simplest bots which visitors can explore, then there's Pepper, a social robot that combines sophisticated hardware with simple software.
On the next level is Euclid, which is equipped with a state-of-the-art language model; and finally, you can meet and interact with Moira. Developed by Carl Strathearn and Emilia Sobolewska, Moira is capable of understanding her environment to enhance social interaction: her language repertoire is extensive, and in a recent group event, she even asked one person to move their scarf so she could better see their face!
But there’s much more to this than robots…
While the robots are very impressive, there’s much more to see at the Micro to Macro: Worlds within Worlds event in May. Want to understand what the term ‘digital twin’ means, or test out how something like an airport terminal can be designed using virtual reality? This is your chance.
Also one to check out is the team of students who will be competing in the IMechE Formula Student competition at Silverstone. This educational engineering competition sees dozens of university teams from across the world battle to design and build the best competitive racing car plus the best driverless option – expect some impressive tech on their stand!
Some of the exhibits will look at novel energy generation and storage while others consider the wellbeing of the planet, from microplastics and biocomposites to how thermal batteries are being used in food production in sub-Saharan Africa.
Other topics like the geological process of soil deposition will be brought to life by ENU's best teachers – and you can try out their suite of high-powered microscopes to reveal ‘worlds within worlds’. There’s even a special quiz for the competitive among us!
Who is the exhibition for?
You can expect a lively, hands-on experience if you head to the exhibition: John is adamant that it should be a chance to try or to see things in action, not to read about them on static posters.
A number of local schools are already signed up so pupils can see what is on offer at this city university, but anyone is welcome to head along.
"We want everybody in the School to have an opportunity to present their work through the exhibition and to engage with the general public," says John. In fact, he explains that the first exhibition was called Behind These Walls because ENU's academics wanted people who travel along Colinton Road every day to be able to engage with their work.
And it's not just a chance to show off the latest innovations, though there is an impressive amount to see: "You can come and get stuck in to the stuff that our undergraduates might do and enjoy some of the innovative teaching that can be experienced there."
Where to go and when it is open
Micro to Macro: Worlds within Worlds takes place at ENU's School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment on its Merchiston campus.
Doors will be open to the public on Wednesday 13 May and Thursday 14 May.
For full details and to register, visit their website today.