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Second AUTOMATA Multiplier Event has taken place in York (17th June 2026)

9 June 2026

The Archaeology Data Service welcomed the AUTOMATA partners to York, UK on 17 June, 2026, for the second Multiplier Event for the project.

The Event has taken place at The Guildhall, one of York’s many fine Medieval buildings. The purpose of the Multiplier Event was to expand the reach of the project beyond the internal partnership, to share both our progress with a range of stakeholders, and to solicit their feedback during a critical moment in our progress.

Participants in the Event included UK-based representatives from national heritage bodies, the academic and commercial archaeology sectors, along with artefact specialists and creative practitioners. These were:

  • Keith May, visiting Professor at The University of South Wales, Faculty of Computing, Engineering & Science,  Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Maths & Statistics at Sheffield Uni and an archaeologist at Historic England.

  • Eloise Moody, a multi – disciplinary artist/maker.  Her work investigates subjects of memory, absence and belonging through socially engaged practice.
  • James Stuart Taylor, a Lecturer in Archaeology and Digital Methods in the Department of Archaeology at the University of York.

  • David Griffiths, a pottery and ceramic building materials (CBM) specialist, providing CIfA level 1 to 3 reports and publication text for Iron Age to modern pottery for most areas in Britain with a focus on Roman pottery and CBM.

  • James Gerrard, Professor of Roman Archaeology at Newcastle University.

  • Andrew Peachey has developed a career in commercial archaeology over the last 22 years, primarily working across East Anglia, the South-East and East Midlands.

  • Graeme Cavers, a Director at AOC Archaeology Group, and responsible for the company’s survey and geomatics teams.

  • Mark Hoyle, an archaeological illustrator and educator, with over 30 years experience in the field of archaeology,  Illustration and  education. He is a member of CIfA, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries Scotland.

  • Kai Wallace, Project Officer responsible for survey and 3D documentation at AOC Archaeology Group.

The first half of the day included presentations from AUTOMATA partners, showing the full range of the work currently in progress:

  • The Aims and Objectives of the AUTOMATA Project
  • How AUTOMATA will use robotics to create an automated workflow for artefact documentation and analysis
  • The documentation and sensing methods AUTOMATA will be using to document and analyse artefacts
  • Data integration with ADS/HSDS, ARIADNE and ECHOES
  • How AUTOMATA will be using AI

These presentations have been followed by an afternoon of exchanges and feedback between the project partners and the external stakeholders, from their various perspectives. This feedback are being discussed at the project meeting the following day, along with how the outcomes of the Multiplier Event may be actioned going forward.