Informatics students showcase innovative assistive robotics at SDP Industry Fair

The System Design Project is a core third‑year course that gives students hands‑on experience of designing and building a complex system as part of a large team. Working in groups of around ten, students apply knowledge from across their degree to develop a complete solution to a practical problem.

This year’s theme, assistive robotics, challenged students to create systems capable of supporting everyday tasks in the real world. Projects combined software, hardware, and user interface design to produce working demonstrators with the potential to be developed further.

The 2026 cohort delivered an impressive range of projects addressing real‑world challenges through creative and technical solutions. Highlights included:

• Electronic Library Fixer – a smart system for organising and sorting books using sensing and modular movement
• HaloAssist – a wearable haptic guidance device for visually impaired users, featuring voice‑activated search and AI object detection
• FoosFusion – a smart automated table football opponent
• Rack & Roll – an automated clothing retrieval system designed to enhance the retail experience through intelligent rail technology

These projects demonstrated students’ ability to combine technical knowledge with user‑centred design, innovation, and teamwork.

The SDP Industry Fair provides students with the opportunity to present their work to an external audience, including industry judges and partners, who assess projects alongside academic staff.

Visitors were able to interact with live demonstrations, explore project ideas, and vote for their favourite systems before the awards ceremony.

This year’s awards recognised excellence across a range of categories:

• Skyscanner Best SDP Project Award: Group 21 – OpenOctave
• Amazon Best SDP Project Runner Up: Group 2 – CaddyMate
• KAL Best Teamwork Award: Group 1 – Slainte
• Edinburgh Innovations Best Pitch Award: Group 12 – TrackSense
• Analog Devices Most Technically Challenging Award: Group 21 – OpenOctave
• LCV Partners Social Impact Award: Group 16 – PillWheel
• Public Vote Prize: Group 21 – OpenOctave
• Peer Vote Prize: Group 21 – OpenOctave
• Best Poster Award: Group 10 – GuitarBot
• Technician’s Award: Group 4 – Goal‑E

The System Design Project has a long history within the School of Informatics and is widely regarded as a highlight of the undergraduate experience. More than a course, SDP provides students with the opportunity to:

• collaborate in large teams
• manage complex, real‑world projects
• apply theory in practical settings
• present their work to academic and industry audiences

The annual fair continues to showcase the creativity, technical skill, and ambition of Informatics students, while reinforcing the School’s strong links with industry partners.