Families, children, and curious visitors of all ages were drawn into Lancaster University’s lively presence at Explore Week – Light Up Lancaster 2025, a family-friendly festival of light and art that takes place annually in early November. Two very different disciplines showcased how science and technology shape the world around us. Across the event, more than 200 visitors got hands-on with interactive demonstrations in robotics and polar science.

Dr Elmira Yadollahi, Lecturer in Computer Science, and her PhD student Shyamli Sunnesh presented their ‘Blink to See: Robots in Action’ activity, which was designedto help children and families explore how robots make decisions and why transparency in artificial intelligence matters.

Using a Niryo Ned 2 robotic arm and the humanoid robot, called QT, the team staged playful performances where the robot arm acted out different ‘personalities’ - from friendly to chaotic - while QT reacted to Ned’s often unpredictable behaviours. Children were invited to guess which personality they saw and explain their reasoning. Many easily recognised the behavioural cues, showing how naturally children interpret the intentions and movements of non-humanoid robots.

The activity sparked a wide range of questions. Young visitors wanted to know whether robots could think for themselves or feel emotions, while parents and grandparents asked about the future of robotics in homes, schools and hospitals. Some of the teachers who attended said children often ask AI-related questions in the classroom, and the opportunity for pupils to explore these topics with real robots was welcomed.

For the robotics researchers, the event provided a meaningful bridge between cutting-edge research and public imagination.

Dr Elmira Yadollahi said: “The conversations with children, parents, and grandparents were enlightening. The most exciting part for me as a human–robot interaction researcher was adapting how I introduced the robots to different ages and levels of enthusiasm. Human beings’ unmatched capability to create mental models of others and the environment is what I aim to replicate in my robots, and to ensure my robots are used for good.”

Just a few steps away, Diego Moral Pombo, Senior Research Associate in Ice Sheet Geodesy and Clare Willis, Earth Observation Data Scientist, were captivating visitors with a completely different perspective: the frozen landscapes of Antarctica and the science behind melting ice.

More than 80 people stopped to talk with the team, many drawn in by striking video footage from polar fieldwork. Visitors asked how researchers go about studying ice cores, how they know what is happening at the Earth’s poles and how their results can help solve issues around climate change. The activity complemented the main Light Up Lancaster installation at the castle, offering the public a direct window into the research that inspires the artwork.

Dr Moral Pombo said of his time at the festival: “It was a fabulous experience, for us and for those who stopped by. We had lots of fun and managed to talk about science to a very wide range of people of all ages.”

Both groups hope to bring similar interactive sessions to schools and festivals in the months ahead, continuing to make research come alive for the public.