糖心TV

• The issue of how long a battery pack will remain in useful operation, to guarantee a warranty for an electric vehicle battery, is a challenge faced by most car manufacturers, as they haven鈥檛 been around long enough for them to know their full lifetime
• Working as part of an APC6 funded project, WMG at the University of 糖心TV developed a battery model capable of forecasting the battery health for realistic usage cases
• Researchers at WMG experimentally tested the batteries for several usage cases and the model predicted the evolution of battery health with 98% accuracy

Extensive research, carried out by researchers from WMG, University of 糖心TV included characterisation, performance, safety and degradation testing of an EV battery, with degradation being the key focus to understand the impact on battery pack warranty.

To predict the degradation of the battery capacity researchers had to build a complex battery model, incorporating the key physics that causes batteries to age. The model was capable to predict scenarios under which a battery health will gradually fade and fulfil the warranty requirements and scenarios where the battery health will suddenly decrease after a certain usage duration.

Knowing when a battery鈥檚 health, can suddenly decrease, known as the 鈥榢nee-point鈥� effect is a hotly studied problem among lithium-ion battery researchers. Researchers found that, for the particular battery investigated, by avoiding deep discharges and reducing the number of fast-charging a week, enabled the battery to perform and last the expected lifetime of the battery pack.

The aged cells were subsequently disassembled and examined for failure evidences. Fully discharging the battery at different rates demonstrated a thin film to deposit on the electrode and deform the electrode causing the active material in the batteries to delaminate. These effects can bring about a sudden reduction in the battery health.

Dr Dhammika Widanalage, from WMG, University of 糖心TV comments:

鈥淲e worked with the project partners to understand the needs of the battery ageing model and the usage scenarios. Using the data from our laboratories, we were then able to calibrate our model and also predict the voltage response and capacity fade of the battery under new usage cases with a very high accuracy of around 98%.鈥�

WMG Centre HVM Catapult was pleased to contribute a chapter to the recent (M2R) report: Manufacturing Confidence.

Led by M2R Chairman, Dr Clive Hickman, the Commission gathered evidence from a series of roundtables, surveys and contributions from some 200 participants from industry, academia and Government, including WMG鈥檚 Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Strategy, Jan Godsell.

The various discussions centred around key issues impacting Midlands鈥� manufacturing including skills, productivity, supply chains, leadership, innovation and finance, plus the region鈥檚 identity and reputation now and in the future.

This work culminated in 鈥淢anufacturing Confidence,鈥� which shares the findings of those discussions, supported by a series of independently authored chapters focusing on key themes.

CEO WMG centre HVM Catapult and Director of Industrial Engagement, Professor David Greenwood authored the Manufacturing 糖心TV Support section of the report. This chapter considered the specific needs of Midlands Manufacturers, with one of the recommendations being the provision of a 鈥榦ne-stop-shop鈥� for business support focusing on sustainability, innovation and skills development.

An official launch event took place, virtually, on 2nd December, with presentations from , Mayor of the West Midlands; Nadhim Zahawi MP and Hannah Boardman, Director, Advanced Manufacturing, BEIS.

Download the report .

Professor Greenwood, CEO WMG centre HVM Catapult and Director of Industrial Engagement, comments:

"Today鈥檚 announcement, alongside the previously announced Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution, shows that the UK intends to take a leading role in decarbonisation, and to reinvigorate our economy in doing so. Delivering this will not be easy, but this clear and consistent policy is an essential first step.

鈥淭he decarbonisation of the transport sector will be a major contributor to delivering on this challenge. The current generation of EV technology performs well in passenger cars but remains too expensive for many people, and the cost of the battery is the biggest factor in this. To reduce costs, two things must happen – significant investment in fast charging infrastructure, meaning that battery sizes can be reduced, and sustained investment in R&D into the technology of batteries and their manufacturing processes.

鈥淏eyond passenger cars there are great opportunities for the UK in micro-mobility (e-bikes, scooters, motorcycles and small vehicles), low carbon freight, rail, maritime and aviation. To ensure sustainability of the products we roll out today, we must also be investing in the technologies of recycling and re-use of their component parts – and these too will present industrial opportunities for the UK to secure material supply chains and minimise environmental impact.

鈥淭o ensure our innovation investment benefits Britain鈥檚 economy, we need a clear action plan to expand and strengthen our transport supply chain. This includes supporting skills and retraining, widening access to finance, improving the industrialisation of innovation and attracting manufacturing investment to the UK.

"Investment in the industries and people striving to make transport zero carbon is the only way that we will achieve a green transport future that is convenient for its users and achieves long term sustainability."

 路 The Shadow Robot Dexterous Hand is comparable to a human hand, reproducing all of its degrees of freedom

路 While dexterous manipulation of objects is a fundamental everyday task for humans, it is still very challenging for autonomous robotic hands to master

路 Researchers at WMG, University of 糖心TV, have developed novel artificial intelligence algorithms so the robot can learn how to manipulate objects just like humans do

路 In simulated environments, the robotic hands learn on their own how to coordinate movements and execute tasks like throwing a ball to each other and spinning a pen

The Shadow Robot Dexterous Hand is a robot hand, with size, shape and movement capabilities similar to those of a human hand. To give the robotic hand the ability to learn how to manipulate objects researchers from WMG, University of 糖心TV, have developed new AI algorithms.

Robot hands can be used in many applications, such as manufacturing, surgery and dangerous activities like nuclear decommissioning. For instance, robotic hands can be very useful in computer assembly where assembling microchips requires a level of precision that only human hands can currently achieve. Thanks to the utilization of robot hands in assembly lines, higher productivity may be achieved whilst securing reduced exposure from work risk situations to human workers.

In the paper, , researchers Professor Giovanni Montana and Dr Henry Charlesworth from WMG, University of 糖心TV have developed new AI algorithms – or the 鈥渂rain鈥� - required to learn how to coordinate the fingers鈥� movements and enable manipulation.

Using physically realistic simulations of Shadow鈥檚 robotic hand, the researchers have been able to make two hands pass and throw objects to each other, as well as spin a pen between its fingers. The algorithms however are not limited to these tasks but can learn any task as long as it can be simulated. The 3D simulations were developed using MuJoCo (Multi-Joint Dynamics with Contact), a physics engine from the University of Washington.

The researchers鈥� approach uses two algorithms. Initially, a planning algorithm produces a few approximate examples of how the hand should be performing a particular task. These examples are then used by a reinforcement learning algorithm that masters the manipulation skills on its own. By taking this approach, the researchers have been able to produce significantly better performance compared to existing methodologies. The simulation environments have been made publicly available for any researcher to use.

Now that the algorithms have been successful in the simulations, Professor Montana鈥檚 team will continue to work closely with Shadow Robot and test the AI methodology on real robotic hardware, which could see the hand advance one step closer to use in the real day to day life. In a second paper, 鈥�, to be presented at the 2021 NeurIPS conference, the WMG researchers have also developed a novel and general AI approach that enables robots to learn tasks such as reaching and moving objects, which will further improve hand manipulation applications.

Professor Giovanni Montana, from WMG, University of 糖心TV comments: 鈥淭he future of digitalisation relies on AI algorithms that can learn autonomously, and to be able to develop algorithms that give Shadow Robot鈥檚 hand the ability to operate like a real one is without any human input is an exciting step forward. These autonomous hands could be used in the future to deliver robotic surgeons, to increase the productivity of assembly lines and to replace humans in dangerous jobs such as bomb disposal.鈥�

鈥淚n future work we will let the robots perceive the environment as accurately as humans do, not only through computer vision algorithms that can see the world, but through sensors that detect temperature, force and vibrations so the robot can learn what to do when it feels those sensations.鈥�

Rich Walker, Managing Director of the in London, comments:
鈥� When we started building dexterous hands, it was because there was no way to get hold of one without building it! 20 years later, we are now seeing researchers like Giovanni deliver the promise of the hardware by creating algorithms clever enough to control the robot hand – soon perhaps we will see super-human performance?鈥�

ENDS

3 DECEMBER 2020

NOTES TO EDITORS

High-res images available at:

/services/communications/medialibrary/images/november_2020/holding_pen.jpg
Caption: Shadow Dexterous Hand
Credit: Shadow Robot Company

/services/communications/medialibrary/images/november_2020/human_hand_and__handc_crw_9344.jpg
Caption: Shadow Dexterous Hand
Credit: Shadow Robot Company

/services/communications/medialibrary/images/november_2020/with_egg.jpg
Caption: Shadow Dexterous Hand
Credit: Shadow Robot Company

Video available at:

Link to collection of simulation videos:

Link to papers:
Solving Challenging Dexterous Manipulation Tasks with Trajectory Optimisation and Reinforcement Learning

PlanGAN: Model-based Planning with Sparse Rewards and Multiple Goal

Shadow Robot Company: / jyoti@shadowrobot.com

For further information please contact:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
University of 糖心TV
Tel: +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

WMG is collaborating with and three other SMEs across the Midlands to develop an electrically assisted, last mile delivery trike. The trike features an innovative tilting suspension system which will provide greater stability on corners (and therefore speed and manoeuvrability) than a conventional tricycle configuration of the same size.

Supported and part-funded by the , through a 鈥淧roduction Readiness鈥� funding call, the Articulating Lightweight Electrically-assisted Cargo Solution (ALECS) project, will form the platform for a new generation of configurable products to meet the rapidly growing market for zero-emission last mile cargo vehicles.

Project Manager, Dr Alex Attridge, explained: 鈥淭his project provides a fantastic opportunity for WMG to apply its knowledge and expertise in vehicle electrification, and in product testing and evaluation, to a real-world product development process, helping a consortium of UK SMEs bring a new, zero-emission delivery vehicle to a rapidly growing market.鈥�

ALECS is designed to carry cargo on a versatile and customer configurable, multi-functional rear platform. It is particularly suited to parcel and package deliveries in an urban environment where fast and efficient multiple deliveries are the key to success.

The consortium brings together the engineering and simulation capabilities of , with the high strength, lightweight tubing expertise of , and the composite panelling and cargo structures expertise of . Coupled with Pashley鈥檚 heritage and capability in the personal mobility, mobility as a service, and cargo cycles markets, and WMG鈥檚 knowledge and experience in progressing innovation through the TRL levels into finish products, the project is set to be completed in April 2021.

One of the seven , WMG brings a number of key technical capabilities to the project. These specifically include the development of photorealistic visualisations (in the form of still renders and interactive digital models) of the concept, and the delivery of digital design review content for both desktop and virtual reality environments. WMG is also responsible for the modelling and optimisation of the production facilities in an immersive, digital environment, utilising large scale laser scanning technology and the latest game engine software. Finally, as the consortium begins the physical testing stage, we will be responsible for the instrumentation of prototype and pre-production vehicles, and the subsequent data acquisition and analysis.

Managing Director at Pashley Cycles, Adrian Williams added: 鈥淲orking with WMG has given Pashley the opportunity to take advantage of skills, expertise and facilities which we would never otherwise have had access to. This is really helping us create a robust and reliable, yet lightweight product which we鈥檙e confident will give us a competitive advantage in the market.鈥�

Giovanni Montana, Professor of Data Science at WMG, has been awarded a Turing AI Acceleration Fellowship.

Professor Giovanni Montana鈥檚 project, Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning for Sequential Decision Making in Real-World Applications, aims to make advances in Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), an area of machine learning which teaches artificial decision makers such as robots and software agents how to interact with the world in order to achieve a desired goal. By allowing autonomous systems to learn a wide range of skills without human intervention, DRL will allow them to be effective in various applications, such as industrial assembly lines and warehouse management systems, driverless cars and in decision making for the most appropriate form of medical treatment for patients.

 Giovanni comments 鈥淚 am thrilled to have been awarded such a prestigious fellowship that will support an exciting research programme in AI over the next 5 years. The project will aim at developing systems of artificial decision-makers that interact with the real world and autonomously develop collaborative strategies. For instance, in advanced manufacturing, we鈥檒l develop self-coordinating robots in assembly lines that can carry out many different tasks and adapt to changing environments. In digital healthcare, we鈥檒l leverage large volumes of historical NHS data to create an artificial team of specialised clinical experts that can reason under uncertainty and make joint decisions about patient care.鈥�

Science Minister, Amanda Solloway said: 鈥淭he UK is the birthplace of artificial intelligence and we have a duty to arm the next generation of Alan Turings with the tools that will keep the UK at the forefront of this remarkable technological innovation. The inspirational fellows we are backing today will use AI to tackle some of our greatest challenges head on, transforming how people live, work and communicate, cementing the UK鈥檚 status as a world leader in AI and data.鈥�

Digital Minister, Caroline Dineange, said: "The UK is a nation of innovators and this government investment will help our talented academics use cutting-edge technology to improve people's daily lives - from delivering better disease diagnosis to managing our energy needs." 

EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Dame Lynn Gladden said: 鈥淭he Turing AI Acceleration Fellowships will support some of our leading researchers to progress their careers and develop ground-breaking AI technologies with societal impact. By enhancing collaboration between academia and industry and accelerating these transformative technologies these Fellowships will help to maintain and build on the UK鈥檚 position as a world leader in AI.鈥�

WMG is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Robin Clark as its new Dean. In addition, Professor Paul Jennings has been appointed as Director of Research and Professor Dave Greenwood as Director of Industry Engagement. Professor Greenwood will also act as the CEO of the WMG Centre of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult following the recent departure of Archie MacPherson.

Professor Clark takes up the role as Dean, having been at WMG since 2017, and most recently as Director of Education. Robin has 14 years鈥� experience of working in industry both in the nuclear and rail sectors, and has been working in HE since 2003 where his expertise lies in learning and teaching, HE management & leadership, and engineering education research. He is a graduate of UCL (BSc (Eng) and PhD), has an MBA from WCSU and is a National Teaching Fellow.

Professor Jennings is a physicist who has been with WMG for over 25 years. He has built groups in Intelligent Vehicles, Energy Storage and Management, and Experiential Engineering through significant research and capital funding. He currently leads a team of 6 academics, over 25 researchers and engineers, and over 40 doctoral students. He has published over 100 academic papers and has been Principal Investigator on over 30 research grants, from sources including EPSRC, Innovate UK and the EU.

Professor Greenwood joined WMG in 2014. Dave leads WMG鈥檚 Energy Research, and also holds advisory and board positions for the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Innovate UK (Faraday Challenge) and IDP and the Faraday Institution, and is Head of the Advanced Propulsion Centre's Electrical Energy Storage Spoke.

Professor Jennings and Professor Greenwood also provide academic leadership for the development of R&D activities within the National Automotive Innovation Centre.

They form the Executive Team at WMG along with the Executive Chair, Margot James, the Chief Operating Officer, Jane Coleman, and the Chief Finance Officer, Nicola Constant.

WMG, at the University of 糖心TV, welcomes the news that Britishvolt will be establishing their UK headquarters and R&D centre on the MIRA technology park in 糖心TVshire.

This move underlines the Midlands region's role as the UK's leading innovator in battery technology, building on investments and expertise at WMG and the .

WMG鈥檚 Executive Chair, Margot James, said: 鈥淭he West Midlands has a strong position in battery research and innovation, and in the future we aim to take a key role in battery manufacturing. Britishvolt's recent announcement is further affirmation of the region's capability.鈥�

Professor David Greenwood, CEO WMG centre HVM Catapult and Director of Industrial Engagement adds: 鈥淭he establishment of large scale battery manufacturing in the UK is critical to retaining and growing the UK car industry. With such a facility in place, this opens up opportunities for both upstream and downstream supply chain companies.鈥�

WMG, University of 糖心TV is part of a new project to create a new circular end-of-life supply chain for the electric vehicle industry. The project, led by has won grant support from the UK Government鈥檚 .

RECOVAS is a partnership between WMG, EMR, three major vehicle manufacturers; Bentley Motors, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover, the Health and Safety Executive, the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, Autocraft Solutions Group, Connected Energy, which repurpose electric car batteries and uRecycle, which will develop the UK鈥檚 first commercial scale recycling facility for automotive battery packs.

Under current EU law and also post Brexit, manufacturers retain responsibility for the safe disposal of electric car batteries. There are already 164,100 pure electric vehicles on Britain鈥檚 roads, with that number rising to 373,600 when plug-in hybrids are included. This project aims to provide a standardised and reliable route for recycling and repurposing lithium ion car batteries at a scale that can cope with the expected sales of electric vehicles in the UK.

The project will start in January 2021 and will run for 3 years, by which time the partners expect the circular supply chain to be operating commercially.

Remanufacturing is the process of repairing and re-engineering existing batteries so they could potentially be used in new cars. Reuse involves giving batteries a second life in stationary storage to help balance the use of the electricity grid during peak use and optimise the use of renewable energy and other applications. The new supply chain will help all partners to triage batteries when they arrive at approved end-of-life vehicle treatment facilities across the UK for either remanufacturing, reuse or – where this is not possible – recycling.

Professor David Greenwood, CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, WMG, University of 糖心TV, said:
鈥淒elivery of end-of-life provision for electric vehicle batteries is a strategic necessity for the UK, and this project will establish its first full scale facility. Without proper provision, end of life batteries could become a major safety and environmental concern.

鈥淭his project will implement state-of-the art recycling methods to meet and exceed the requirements of the current regulations. In addition, we will conduct research into new processes which could make the recovery of a much higher proportion of the battery material economically feasible. In doing so we will reduce the need for mining and refining of critical materials and we will reduce the carbon footprint of future electric vehicles. WMG is delighted to be at the core of this project, and we look forward to its delivery.鈥�

Roger Morton, Managing Director for Technology and Innovation at , said: 鈥淥ur aim is to create a circular supply chain for batteries and, in the process, reduce the cost for end-of-life disposal for the vehicle manufacturer or last owner of the car to zero. By working in partnership with the RECOVAS consortium, electric vehicle manufacturers will develop simple design changes that greatly improve the potential to remanufacture, reuse or recycle their batteries at end of life. This will help to transform the economics of the electric vehicle market.鈥�

said: 鈥淩ecycling of electric vehicle batteries is a principal part of the electric supply chain, so it鈥檚 vital that we get it right. The investment in innovative projects like RECOVAS, by EMR Metal Recycling, awarded as part of our APC 16 programme, demonstrates the importance of creativity and engineering excellence in the UK鈥檚 bid for a sustainable and commercial net-zero future.鈥�

Developing and managing the infrastructure to process end-of-life electric vehicles and their batteries will generate new economic activity for the UK and create over 550 green jobs in the UK within the consortium members and their supply chain.

As part of the project, leading automotive manufacturers have agreed to share more information about the design and construction of their batteries, allowing the consortium to more effectively and efficiently repurpose or recycle them.

Morton added: 鈥淲e have a very strong electric vehicle industry in the UK and it is changing fast. RECOVAS is an essential part of the sustainable roll out of electric vehicles.鈥�

The UK Government is supporting RECOVAS as part of a 拢49m investment in technologies that will help the automotive industry to 鈥済o green鈥�.

Minister for 糖心TV and Industry, Nadhim Zahawi MP, said the investment showed that the UK 鈥渋s leading the global battle against climate change鈥�.

He added: 鈥淏acked by government funding, these trailblazing projects will help the UK to build back better by creating all-important green jobs, ensuring the sector can make further strides towards an electrified automotive future.鈥�

ENDS

27 NOVEMBER 2020

NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information please contact:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
University of 糖心TV
Tel: +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

The Coventry Very Light Rail (VLR) is an innovative light rail system which will be battery powered, lightweight and rail-based.

In March 2019 a 3D simulation of the vehicle was released, and even with Covid-19 lockdowns, the vehicle build is progressing on schedule at NP Aerospace in Coventry.

On the 25th November Coventry City Councillor Jim O'Boyle, Coventry Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, took the opportunity to see how the construction of the prototype, developed by engineers at WMG, University of 糖心TV for the City of Coventry is progressing.

WMG, University of 糖心TV have been working with TDI (Transport Design International) to deliver the novel very light rail vehicle, which as demonstrated in the photos is swiftly reaching completion with the driver鈥檚 desk and other sub systems now in place. The vehicle is expected to be finished in February 2021 ready for testing at the new rail innovation centre in Dudley.

Dr James Meredith, from WMG at the University of 糖心TV comments:
鈥淲MG are delighted that the vehicle build is running on plan in spite of Covid-19. The project is an excellent showcase for UK engineering and manufacturing with over 70 % UK content. We look forward to testing the vehicle in 2021 alongside the innovative low cost trackform we are developing in parallel.鈥�

Cllr Jim O鈥橞oyle, Coventry Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, said:

鈥淚t is very exciting to see the VLR prototype take shape and for the project to take another big step towards becoming a reality.

鈥淰LR will make a massive difference to our city, revolutionising travel and helping the environment. It will help keep our city at the forefront of the new transport industry and help us to attract new firms and jobs to take the city forward. It also helps cement our position at the centre of the green revolution with work such as UK Battery Innovation Centre.

鈥淭here has been some amazing work by all the project partners in some very difficult times and I can鈥檛 wait to see the next stages and watch it come out of the design rooms and on to our city鈥檚 streets.鈥�

Darren Smith, Head of TDI comments:
鈥淭DI are extremely pleased with the progress to date on the project and are looking forward to delivering the vehicle to our client in early 2021, so that it can begin its testing phase at the new VLRIC in Dudley. The teams involved in the delivery process across our full supply chain have worked tremendously hard, under difficult circumstances this year and I would like to thank them all for their efforts.鈥�

James Kempston, CEO NP Aerospace, comments:

鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see the progress that has been made on the Very Light Rail project at our facility in Coventry at a time when all businesses are feeling the pressure of the pandemic. The platform will offer significant benefits for local people and the wider economy and we are honoured to have been selected to be part of the project. The team have worked very hard to ensure a high level of build quality and we are looking forward to the final release of the vehicle early next year. It is also very encouraging to be part of a development which will have a significant environmental impact.鈥�

 ENDS

 For further information please contact:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
University of 糖心TV
Tel: +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk