Prince William’s visit last week to the Bristol Robotics Lab comes as no surprise. He examined innovative technologies that address a wide range of societal issues. The lab is an exciting living example of collaboration between the University of Bristol and University of the West of England. Together, they promote game-changing advances in STEM and sustainability practices.
While he was here, Prince William got to see one particularly innovative exoskeleton up close. This incredible invention is intended to help people with mobility issues get around. He had a spin on an innovative new mobility scooter too, a grey, plastic, three-wheeled prototype. This engaging experience served as a reminder of the lab’s mission to continually create innovative designs to address the needs of our rapidly aging population.
HRH Prince William during a visit to the Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Innovation Hub. He toured Matter, one of the finalists from his Earthshot Prize. Matter invents microplastic filtration systems to filter environmental pollution out of our waterways. At Matter, for instance, he studied a ball of red microfibers collected from ten washes of red towels. This research underscored the detrimental effects of microplastics spewed into our environment with each load of laundry.
The young royal was shocked to see two plastic containers filled with microfibers. These fibers were reclaimed by a proprietary machine that addresses waste from the manufacturing of textiles. This new technology is part of an increasing movement to reduce plastic pollution by trapping plastic microfibers from escape in wastewater. Along with the recently crowned King Charles III, Prince William and the Princess of Wales have already made meaningful moves. They equipped one of Matter’s devices into their washing machine to directly address this urgent challenge.
Judith Squires, deputy vice president of the University of Bristol, welcomed Prince William’s visit. She remarked, “Thinking about ways we can support people to live independent, dignified lives is going to be a game changer.”
While touring the novel technologies on display at the lab, Prince William was equally shocked by the scope of the microplastic crisis. At first, he didn’t believe the full scope of the problem. He added, “I’m really shocked. I think I’m still getting over the scale,” in response to a finding that bodes poorly for the environmental impact of microplastics.
Personal interaction with a wide range of innovative, high-impact entrepreneurial initiatives focused on connecting quality of life to sustainability. One such project involving smart socks to sense increasing levels of distress in people living with dementia. This innovative technology provides caregivers with key insights enabling them to take proactive steps to prevent distress from getting worse.