Serving the Teesside Business Community | 57
T
eesside firm Applied Scientific
Technologies has recently won
two large contracts to supply
robotic and artificial intelligence
systems to find the next
advancement in formulation
chemistry.
In deals worth a seven-figure sum over
the next 15 months, two large international
players – both household names - have
procured the systems to formulate and
characterise the products they make.
The systems will handle, mix and measure
new formulations and will intelligently
find the next top-selling product for use
in the brands the public buys from the
supermarket.
Stokesley-based Applied Scientific
Technologies have developed a patent-
pending robotic autonomous system that
allows companies to build their own research
scientist or production line operative.
The modular system uses collaborative
robotics and machine intelligence to allow
it to interact with humans to undertake
tasks that are not normally possible or
are too dangerous for humans to do.
The adaptable systems have been
developed to need no programming
and will interact with people as if
they are another person - with the
exception that the robot will work
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
No lunch breaks, no sickness, no
holidays.
The systems can easily
be configured by
its human
Robot inventor:
Jamie Marsay.
‘colleagues’ to undertake a variety of tasks,
ranging from handling monoclonal antibodies
to mixing chemicals together or assembling
electronic components.
Using robotic arms, vision and a robotic
hand, the systems can handle a variety of
differently shaped objects and move them
around a laboratory or factory.
Built into the system are docks that allow
a range of modules to be loaded into them
to undertake specific tasks. Once physically
loaded, the robot uses its machine vision to
‘see’ what machine resources it has.
When it is given something to handle it
recognises what to do with it and processes it
accordingly, before handing it back to a human
colleague or to a neighbouring robot.
Multiple robots are easily deployed next to
one another and detect each other’s presence
automatically. The systems communicate and
autonomously work out which of them can do
what and in what order.
When doing scientific research, the robot’s
artificial intelligence and machine deep
learning algorithms allows it to work out the
best way to undertake a process and what
experiments it needs to do in order to get to
the answer more quickly. The only information
the system needs is what the question is.
Using robotics in this way allows
businesses to increase productivity and
compete globally by getting good quality
data more quickly or assembling parts more
reliably.
Applied Scientific Technologies is led by
experienced mechatronics expert Jamie
Marsay, with financial backing and support
from the directors of one of the Tees region’s
leading automation and control experts,
Applied Integration.
The new business, which has visions
of recruiting at least 10 staff over the next
three years, will look to harness cutting edge
scientific technologies to bring a range of
hi-tech products to market that its directors
believe could revolutionise a wide range of
21st Century industries.
Inventor Jamie, managing director of
Applied Scientific Technologies, recalls the
moment the idea came to him: “There was a
gap in the market for easy-to-use intelligent
robots within the fast-moving consumer
goods (FMCG), life sciences and speciality
chemicals research arena.
“I needed a system that was so easy to
use that my grandmother could configure
and use it. I needed a system that was
modular, so it could be used in a variety
of industries. The modular, scalable,
reconfigurable and collaborative approach
was the obvious choice.
“I want a system that the end-users can
build up or change themselves, something
that was once only done by engineers.
Scientists, on the whole, like data, not
machinery.
“Once we’d developed the concept,
we quickly realised that the approach was
equally as valid in the manufacturing sector
as well.”
Applied Scientific Technologies intends
to increase its workforce over the next 12
months to supply the demand for the system
– and they plan to take advantage of the
Teesside supply chain as much as possible.
Garry Lofthouse, Applied Scientific
Technologies’ commercial director, says:
“This is a product that was conceived,
designed and will be assembled in Teesside.
“We aim to have all the components made
in the North East. We’ll use local talent and
we’ll use local training providers to help
upskill the people of Teesside”.
Marsay adds: “We admire the passion of
Zoe Lewis and her team at Middlesbrough
College for driving forwards local training
in the STEM subjects and we think she is
doing an amazing job at motivating local
businesses to upskill their workforce and
take on apprentices.
“We intend to do our bit by employing
people from the area. We plan to make this
a high-tech product from our region, built for
global exports. Most of our client base is in
Europe, the US and the Far East.”
The concept has been well received by
clients across the world. Lee Raywood,
technical director for Applied Scientific
Technologies, comments: “Our intention
is not to displace a workforce but to
complement them by supplying capabilities
that enable them to do more - and smarter.
“Our clients are telling us that this is a
step change in technology and they believe
this is the next generation of robotics in the
workplace.
“There have been some difficult challenges
to overcome, but we are there now”.
Finally, Marsay adds: “We are elated
with the response from the marketplace.
We knew we had a good idea. Hearing
our clients telling us so is one thing, but
to receive such big orders after just eight
months of development speaks volumes.
“It’s so much more than we had dared
dream of. We are just so pleased and are
looking forward to growing to become part
of the Teesside economy over the next few
years.”
To find out more about Applied Scientific Tech nologies, contact
[email protected] or visit www.appliedst.co.uk