The Founder
It all started when school pupil Simon Morrison , the eventual founder of NeuroRobotics - built an electronic controlled robot. At this time - robotics as a hobby was in its infancy. This formed a base from which to grow an intelligent autonomous robot from hard wired logic and analogue electronics that utilised priority encoding logic forming a number of independent control/sensing modules all feeding into a simple central nervous system. Multiple control/sensor behaviors such as obstacle avoidance, collision detection, light following, reaction to sound , homing into a battery charger - were gradually added where hard wired logic 'chose' which behavior to activate depending on the importance to the robot's tasks & survival.
There was a fascinating unpredictable 'life like' behavior of the robot that kicked off Simon's lifelong pursuit of robotics . Although the behaviors could only be changed by re-wiring the circuit - this robot still works today. In the mid 80's various commercially available microprocessor robotic kits enabled ongoing private research including the Heathkit Hero & the Microbot TeachMover which NeuroRobotics still use for research purposes.
Simon went onto obtain an Honours degree in Electronics from University of Salford specialising in remote controlled mobile robotics ,and a Masters degree in Robotics & Controls from Cardiff University specialising in robotic force/position sensory feedback control. He was awarded the European Electrical Steels Project Award for the best project in Robotics & Automation 1993 and the Colt Innovation Award 1995 and holds a patent for a design used within safety critical control systems. Simon has nearly 18 years experience within the electronics controls industry - including aircraft flight simulators, avionics, motion control systems, intelligent building controls, mechatronic systems & web enabled controls. Simon spent several years heading up an electronics research & development team responsible for a multi-million pound life safety critical fire control system - from concept through to full manufacture and deployment across Europe.
With a continued passion in the robotics field , the growing robotics market , extensive electronics industrial experience and the unprecedented availability of cost effective & powerful electronics technology - Simon founded NeuroRobotics in 2003 to actively pursue robotics research, and commercialize several unique robotic designs that are aimed at benefiting the community and to finance ongoing pioneering robotics research.