Slough’s first Robotics Adoption Forum brought businesses face-to-face with George the humanoid robot and challenged more local firms to explore what robotics could do for them.

What could a robot do for your business and, with the technology becoming more accessible, why aren’t more companies finding out? That was the question at Slough’s first Robotics Adoption Forum, hosted by Plus X Innovation in collaboration with Extend Robotics on 14 July.

The event brought industry leaders, technology experts and growing businesses together with George the humanoid robot for a practical look at how robotics can improve productivity, help address skills shortages and support sustainable growth.

For Slough, the question is especially relevant. The town is home to a strong community of innovation-led businesses, yet many smaller firms may still see robotics as expensive, complex or out of reach. The forum was designed to challenge that perception by giving local businesses direct access to the technology, the experts behind it and a platform to explore real applications for their own operations.

One attendee said:
“Robotics was never something I imagined would be a realistic option for my business, but after attending the Robotics Adoption Forum, I realise it’s far more accessible than I thought and could really help my business to grow.”

Through live demonstrations, Extend Robotics showed how businesses of different sizes can use robotics to solve practical problems. Attendees watched a robotic arm undertake inspection and handling tasks in environments that may be hazardous or inaccessible to people, while remaining under the supervision and control of a human operator at every stage.

The demonstrations also tackled a persistent misconception: that robots are simply designed to replace people. Instead, robotics can support teams by taking on repetitive, time-consuming or undesirable tasks – freeing people to focus on creativity, problem-solving and human interaction.

Imagine a team member able to operate around the clock, communicate in multiple languages and handle repetitive tasks without losing focus. For a growing business, what could that unlock and what might be the cost of waiting while competitors begin to experiment?

Justin Megawarne, CEO of MegaSlice, said:
“We’ve always been interested in robots, but seeing a humanoid robot in the flesh was extremely cool. Now we’re working out the use cases for one internally, given that we’re in R&D, innovation and low-volume production. A big outcome for me and my interests was how very early-stage startups can benefit from robotics: still an open question, but the opportunity is massive.”

Businesses from healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality and agriculture left with a clearer understanding of where robotics could add value. The message was not that every company needs a robot tomorrow, but that every ambitious business should be asking the question and have somewhere practical to investigate the answer.

Plus X Innovation is creating that starting point in Slough: bringing emerging technologies into a business environment where local firms can see them in action, meet specialists and explore potential use cases first-hand. As adoption accelerates, robotics is likely to become less a question of ‘if’ and more a question of ‘when’. Slough’s businesses have an opportunity to be among those shaping what comes next.

To explore how emerging technology could support your business, or to hear about future programmes and events, book a tour of Plus X Innovation and speak to the team https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0w_Q2t0