Festival visitor interacting with robot

Discover the Smart Machines zone before it opens to the public

Beat the crowds!

If you purchase an Alumni Lounge pass for Saturday or the Weekend, you can access an exclusive preview of the Smart Machines zone showcasing innovation in robotics and AI, an hour before it opens to the public on Saturday. Meet our researchers before it gets busy, and explore the ground-breaking projects on display.

About the Smart Machines zone

From robotic friends and revolutionary tech to green transport innovations and smarter AI, inside the Smart Machines zone you can explore how humans and machines will interface, interact and influence the future. ​

​In our cities of tomorrow, discover smart-road concepts and intelligent wheelchair technologies before driving around a virtual South Kensington where autonomous vehicles are the norm. You can then take to the skies with teams making green air travel and space exploration a reality. ​

After checking out all these new technologies and engineering marvels we hope you will be inspired to get creative yourself playing with LEGO robots and machines that can be taught to play games, before building your own 3D robot using recycled materials.

Available times

The exclusive alumni-only preview will take place on Saturday 17 June, 11.00 - 12.00. The preview is not available on SundayBook your ticket for the preview once you've purchased your Alumni Lounge pass.