Stolen Spotlight at Goodwood's Future Lab: Remarkable Technological Innovation
Future Lab at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Showcases a Blend of Science and Technology
The Future Lab, the immersive technology campus at Goodwood, has once again proved to be a hub of innovation, showcasing the intersection of science-fiction and reality. This year's event, held in 2025, was a testament to the power of technology, focusing on electric vehicles, autonomous technology, exploration, robotics, and more.
The showstopper this year was the E1 electric raceboats, adding a splash of speed to the sustainability message. Visitors also had the opportunity to experience virtual flight with the Birdly Virtual Flight Simulator, enhancing the immersive, hands-on technology focus of the pavilion.
One of the most intriguing exhibits was the 1.5-meter 3D-printed model of Ernest Shackleton's ship, the Endurance. This model was created from a digital twin, allowing children and visitors to explore every detail of the ship. The Endurance wreck has been designated as a protected Antarctic monument, serving as a preserved artifact and a living educational tool.
The presence of highly advanced robotics was another highlight, with Boston Dynamics robots and Ameca being the centre of attention. Ameca, a humanoid robot created by Engineered Arts, is known for its hyper-realistic facial expressions, ability to hold eye contact, and its potential use as a hardware interface for various AI brains. Its flexibility also allows it to communicate on a human level, potentially paving the way for its use in household chores or healthcare in the future.
The Future Lab was also a platform for space exploration. Space Forge, a Cardiff-based aerospace company, is developing reusable satellites to manufacture semiconductors in orbit. This is done to take advantage of the ideal conditions for growing ultra-pure crystals in microgravity. Space Forge's ForgeStar platform is already in orbit and collecting data, with future versions expected to be return-capable, equipped with high-tech reentry shields and soft-landing systems.
Professor Stephen Wilkins explained that AI is being used to process telescope data, enabling machines to spot extraordinary findings in the ordinary. The University of Sussex and the European Space Agency showcased the Euclid space telescope, which is mapping the universe in unprecedented detail to decode dark matter and dark energy.
Each exhibitor emphasized the importance of purpose in technology, focusing on solving real-world challenges with bold thinking, creative tools, and scientific collaboration. The Future Lab is curated by Lucy Johnston and focuses on building a desirable future, not just the design of the car of the future.
Visitors could also experience virtual reality lunar surface exploration with Somniacs and Cesium's Lunar Flight Experience, and journey through the James Webb Space Telescope's finest images with Atlantic Studios' cosmic Apple Vision Pro.
The Future Lab serves as a reminder that technology isn't just about going faster, but about going further, with thought and care, to make tomorrow better than today. The UK government, NATO, and ESA are providing funding for Space Forge, positioning it as a potential factory of the future floating above us. The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust (FMHT) showcased the mission to locate and digitally recreate the wreck of Ernest Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, using undersea robots, sonar drones, photogrammetry, and AI-powered color correction.
In conclusion, the 2025 Future Lab was the most interactive to date, blending immersive technologies in flight, exploration, robotics, electric and autonomous vehicles, reflecting both automotive innovation and broader scientific advancements. The event serves as a beacon of hope for a future where technology is used to solve real-world problems and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
- The Future Lab, a technology campus at Goodwood, showed the blend of science-fiction and reality in 2025.
- Electric vehicles and autonomous technology were the highlights of the showcased technology at the Future Lab.
- Visitors witnessed virtual flight with the Birdly Virtual Flight Simulator at the Future Lab.
- The 3D-printed model of Ernest Shackleton's ship, Endurance, was a significant exhibit, created from a digital twin.
- The Endurance wreck has been designated as a protected Antarctic monument, serving as a preserved artifact and an educational tool.
- Boston Dynamics robots and Ameca were the centre of attention, with Ameca's potential use in household chores or healthcare in the future.
- Space Forge, a Cardiff-based aerospace company, was there, developing reusable satellites to manufacture semiconductors in orbit.
- AI is used to process telescope data, enabling machines to spot extraordinary findings in the ordinary.
- Visitors could explore virtual reality lunar surface exploration and journey through the James Webb Space Telescope's images.
- The Future Lab serves as a reminder that technology isn't just about going faster but about going further with care.
- The UK government, NATO, and ESA are providing funding for Space Forge, positioning it as a potential factory of the future.
- The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust showcased the mission to digitally recreate the wreck of Ernest Shackleton's ship, Endurance.
- The Future Lab reflected both automotive innovation and broader scientific advancements.
- The exhibitors emphasized the importance of purpose in technology, focusing on solving real-world challenges.
- The Future Lab serves as a beacon for a future where technology is used to solve real-world problems and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
- AI and robotics demonstrated their potential uses in everyday life and various industries.
- Space exploration, as shown by Space Forge's ForgeStar platform, takes advantage of ideal microgravity conditions for growing ultra-pure crystals.
- Visitors gained a new perspective on climate change through the Euclid space telescope, mapping the universe and decoding dark matter and dark energy.
- The Future Lab's exhibits also included gadgets, smartphones, smart home devices, wearables, cooking equipment, and data-and-cloud-computing solutions for sustainable living, healthy cooking, travel, lifestyle, education-and-self-development, career-development, and personal-growth, reflecting a broader spectrum of technological advancement.
