RCA Robotics Lab leads vital research into circular economy for robots

Running for three years from April 2025, Circular Robot 5.0: Industry-Wide Data-Driven Circular Economy of Industrial Robots, is funded with £1.8m awarded by UKRI’s Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The Circular Robot 5.0 project is focused around leveraging AI-driven predictive maintenance, tamper-proof blockchain traceability, robust life-cycle assessments and more, in order to extend the operational lifespan of industrial robots, while enabling end-of-life remanufacturing and recycling of critical raw materials. In doing this, the project hopes to lay the groundwork for a truly circular economy in industrial robotics.

The Royal College of Art will lead the project as Principal Investigator, with Co-Investigators from across UK academia and industry Loughborough University, King’s College London, University College London, and the Manufacturing Technology Centre, and Industrial Partners NVIDIA, Omron Electronics, ASTM International, Jacobs, Katlas Technology Ltd., Inovo Robotics Ltd., Wootzano Ltd. and WhatsInIt Ltd.