At i3D robotics, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. Our work, developing advanced stereo-vision and 3D imaging solutions for industry and research, depends on the close cooperation of engineers, scientists, and technical specialists who bring a wide range of expertise to every project. This ethos of collaboration dates back to the COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdowns; we even wrote an article about it at the time.
Innovation thrives when people communicate effectively and trust one another. We make a conscious effort to strengthen those connections beyond the lab and workshop.
Building Strong Teams
i3D robotics shares office and workshop space with our sister company, IS-Instruments, in Kent. This close environment means our teams work side by side daily, collaborating on projects that span industrial automation, space, nuclear, and manufacturing applications.
Directors Dr Jon Storey and Dr Michael Foster strongly believe that good teamwork doesn’t happen by chance; it’s something you build. That’s why team days, lunches, and shared experiences have always been essential to the culture.
“Essentially, teams are made up of individuals, and if the individuals consistently work in isolation, it takes longer to solve challenges. By having team-building days, we give individual team members the chance to come together and learn more about one another.”, says Dr Michael Foster.
These events are more than just social occasions. They’re opportunities for colleagues from different technical disciplines to talk, connect, and gain a better understanding of how each person contributes to the whole. The result is stronger collaboration, clearer communication, and a working environment where ideas can flourish.
A Diverse Team With a Shared Purpose
Our team is proudly diverse, reflecting the global nature of the industries we serve. We’ve welcomed engineers and researchers from across the UK, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, India, and beyond. Each brings their own perspectives, insights, and experiences.
As Dr Jon Storey said, “We know that there is strength in our diversity. It enhances our ability to solve problems. When you bring together people who see challenges differently, you open the door to more creative and resilient solutions. That’s precisely what’s needed in high-precision, high-reliability technologies like stereo vision and optical measurement.”
Team Days That Inspire Collaboration
Over the years, we’ve organised a wide range of team days designed to challenge, entertain, and bring people together.
A few highlights include:
• Crazy golf at Putt Shack, London, followed by dinner at Rosa’s Thai — light-hearted competition and great food. ISI’s Jessica Gabb took the trophy on this occasion, but we’re ready for a rematch!
• A day out in London, with a stop at the Eye Lounge, a boat ride on the Thames, and dinner at Limin Southbank, where we sampled Caribbean food and some of the more adventurous among us tried some scotch bonnet-infused drinks.
• Cocktail-making at Maidstone Distillery, where precision and imagination proved just as valuable behind the bar as they are in the lab! Afterwards, we enjoyed some tapas at La Taberna.
• Emergency First Aid Training for all – not your average ‘team day’ perhaps, but it was followed by the Biscuit Portrait Challenge. This produced some hilarious results! We also stretched our brains with an engineering-style quiz before retiring to the pub.
• Team-building games day saw us solving engineering challenges, including building spaghetti towers strong enough to support a marshmallow, and the Egg Drop Challenge. The latter involved constructing a protective package with a parachute, placing a raw egg inside, and releasing it from the height of the fire escape. The hope was that the egg survived the landing in one piece!
• A bespoke team quiz, written and hosted by Jessica Gabb, who knows exactly how to test our competitive spirits!
Each event helps build stronger relationships and reinforces the open, collaborative culture that defines i3D robotics.
Celebrating the Year Together
Our annual Christmas dinners are another key part of that culture. Over the years, we’ve celebrated at The Old Bank in Westerham, Chapter One in Locksbottom, Essence by Atul Kochhar in Tunbridge Wells, Gaucho at London Bridge, and Balls Brothers Pub at the Hays Galleria in London Bridge. The latter marked our first festive gathering after the COVID-19 lockdown, making it all the more memorable.
These occasions are a time to pause, reflect on another successful year, and simply enjoy being together as a team.
Why It Matters
It’s easy to see team events as “extras,” but for us, they’re integral to how we work. When engineers, scientists, and software developers understand one another’s strengths and communicate openly, projects run more smoothly, solutions come faster, and innovation happens more naturally. By investing in team days and shared experiences, i3D robotics is investing in its people — and by extension, in the quality and creativity of the technology we deliver.
Whether we’re developing cutting-edge vision systems for industrial automation or exploring new applications in harsh environments, our success comes down to one thing: a team that works together seamlessly.
That’s what our team days are really about — taking time to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the people behind the technology.
