ERF2025 ProgramME Overview
Experience the Variety of our Workshops, Exhibition and Site Visits
UPDATED 21/03/2025, 22:48 CET
Programme is subject to change without notice.
Monday, 24 March
13:30 - 17:00 EXHIBITION open to the public
8:00 – 13:30 Company Site Visits
Mercedes (Sindelfingen) – ICAL
Neura Robotics (Metzingen) and FANUC (Neuhausen) – ICAL
12:30 – 13:45 Registration euRobotics General Assembly and light lunch (invited members only) – ICAL
13:30 Registration and Event Opening – ICAL
14:00 – 17:00 euRobotics General Assembly – ICAL
14:00 – 17:00 Public Engagement – ICAL
14:00 – 15:25 B2B matchmaking – ICAL
14:00 – 16:00 ROS meetup – ICAL
15:30 – 17:00 Investor tip session – ICAL
17:00 – 18:00 Break
18:00 – 19:00 VIP / General Assembly Reception (venue: New Palace Stuttgart) – ICAL
19:30 – 21:30 euRobotics Member Dinner (venue: Wirtshaus Lautenschlager) – ICAL
Tuesday, 25 March
8:30-20:30 EXHIBITION
8:00 Registration – ICAL
8:30 – 9:50 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
10:00 – 10:30 Keynote Mercedes Benz – ICAL
10:30 – 11:10 Coffee Break, Late Breaking Result Posters I (LBR) – ICAL
11:10 – 12:30 Official Opening – ICAL
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
13:20 – 14:00 Late Breaking Result Posters II (LBR) – ICAL
12:50 – 13:50 Company Site Visit – University of Stuttgart – ICAL
13:15 – 14:00 Press Conference – ICAL
14:00 – 15:20 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
15:20 – 16:00 Coffee Break, Late Breaking Result Posters III (LBR) – ICAL
16:00 – 17:20 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
16:00 – 17:20 B2B matchmaking – ICAL
17:30 – 18:45 Charity Run – ICAL
18:45 – 20:30 Welcome Reception (venue: exhibition in the Liederhalle) – ICAL
Wednesday, 26 March
8:30-18:45 EXHIBITION
8:00 Registration – ICAL
8:30 – 9:50 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
10:00 – 10:30 Keynote Nvidia – ICAL
10:30 – 11:10 Coffee Break
11:10 – 12:30 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
13:20 – 14:00 Scientific Track Posters I – ICAL
14:00 – 15:20 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
15:20 – 16:00 Coffee Break, Scientific Track Posters II – ICAL
15:20 – 18:00 Fraunhofer IPA & ARENA2036 Lab Tour – ICAL
16:00 – 17:20 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
17:20 – 18:00 Break
18:00 – 18:45 Award Ceremony (venue: Hegelsaal) – ICAL
18:45 – 19:00 Walk-in to Networking Dinner
19:00 – 22:00 Networking Dinner and Keynote Dürr (venue: Alte Reithalle, Maritim Stuttgart) – ICAL
22:30 – 23:30 After Party (venues: Jigger & Spoon and Sausalitos (Theodor-Heuss-Straße 10) – ICAL J&S, ICAL Saulitos
Thursday, 27 March
8:30-15:20 EXHIBITION
8:00 Registration – ICAL
8:30 – 9:50 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
10:00 – 10:40 Keynotes: Ministry of Economy Baden-Württemberg, European Commission, Neura Robotics – ICAL
10:40 – 11:10 Coffee Break
11:10 – 12:30 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
12:40 – 13:10 Feedback Session – ICAL
13:00 – 18:00 Company Site Visits
Neura Robotics (Metzingen) and FANUC (Neuhausen) – ICAL
14:00 – 15:20 Workshop Sessions (ICALs available in the detailed programme)
15:30 End of ERF 2025
Below you can find the daily ERF2025 programme.
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- Tuesday 25 Mar 2025
- Wednesday 26 Mar 2025
- Thursday 27 Mar 2025
Tuesday 25 Mar 2025
08:30 - 09:50 Sessions Morning Day 1 -slot 1
WS#37 The future of healthcare robotics: insights from deployment of assistive robots in healthcare
Françoise Siepel (University of Twente), Maren Bödding (University of Twente), Gizem Bozdemir (PAL Robotics), Magí Dalmau (EURECAT),Room 22-24
iCal
Questions to be answered
- How do we bridge the gap from development towards deployment in clinical settings?
- What are the key challenges the healthcare professional faces in implementing robotics in the healthcare setting? What would help increase acceptance?
- What role do we see assistive robots playing in healthcare over the next 10-20 years?
- What are the potential risks and benefits of leveraging generative AI to enhance robot decision-making and natural interactions in healthcare and assistive robotics?
Description
This workshop offers an essential platform for gaining deep insights into deployment of robotics in healthcare, directly from technology providers and healthcare professionals across Europe together with a future perspective. Attendees will benefit from knowledge exchange, focusing on key applications and overcoming barriers to robotic integration in healthcare. Critical aspects, such as European reimbursement models and the importance of networking for accelerating innovation, will be utilized.
Participants will gain:
- Future perspectives and practical insights into the deployment of robotics in healthcare
- Access to key success stories, showcasing how robotics improves care provision
- Opportunities for knowledge transfer, networking, and collaboration across Europe.
The main topics are:
- Clinical Deployment Insights: Experiences from practitioners across Europe.
- Knowledge Transfer: Exchange of expertise and best practices across regions.
- Key Application Aspects: Focus on real-world implementations.
- Barriers and Constraints: Challenges in robotics deployment in healthcare
- Success Stories: Case studies demonstrating successful robotics integration.
- Importance of European Networking: fostering collaboration through DIH-HERO services.
Organisation of the WS
- 8:30 - 8:35 Welcome and introduction
- 8:35 - 8:45 Roadmapping in the Topic Group „Healthcare Robotics“ (Dr. Françoise Siepel - University of Twente, Netherlands)
- 8:45 - 8:55 DIH-HERO Services (Maren Bödding - University of Twente, Netherlands)
- 8:55 - 9:05 Overview of assistive robotics (Dr. Birgit Graf - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany)
- 9:05 - 9:15 Robotics in Healthcare: Real-World Pilots and Future Innovations (Gizem Bozdemir - PAL Robotics, Spain)
- 9:15 - 9:25 Advancing Human-Centric Healthcare Robotics: ARISE's Open-Source AI Approach (Mireya Diego Moro - Fundación CARTIF, Spain)
- 9:25 - 9:35 Eurecat: AI and socially assistive robots in healthcare settings (Magí Dalmau - EURECAT, Spain)
- 9:35 - 9:45 Discussion
- 9:45 - 9:50 Closing and next steps
Intended outcome
The event will result in a comprehensive report, combining key insights and recommendations for future robotics applications. This report will be of critical relevance to technology providers, clinicians, policymakers, and other healthcare stakeholders, ensuring that the future of healthcare robotics is shaped by collaborative, and innovative approaches.
- End-Users: Gain a clearer understanding of the benefits and practical applications of robotics in healthcare, facilitating informed decision-making and technology adoption.
- SMEs: Identify market needs, explore collaboration opportunities, and access business growth insights based on real-world use cases.
- Researchers: Benefit from exposure to cutting-edge developments and direct feedback from healthcare professionals, opening new avenues for research and innovation.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers:
- Dr. Françoise Siepel - University of Twente, Netherlands
- Maren Bödding - University of Twente, Netherlands
- Dr. Birgit Graf - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Gizem Bozdemir - PAL Robotics, Spain
- Mireya Diego Moro - Fundación CARTIF, Spain
- Magí Dalmau - EURECAT, Spain
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG Healthcare and DIH-HERO
Projects involved
The workshop will feature an expert from ARISE (https://arise-middleware.eu/), sharing insights on simplifying and advancing human-robot interaction and its human-centric approach to healthcare robotics. Additionally, projects such as SAFE-LY (https://www.pharaon.eu/safe-ly-pharaon-second-open-call-winner/), SPRING (https://spring-h2020.eu/), and SANDRO2 (https://dih-hero.eu/sandro/) will be highlighted by PAL Robotics, and interactive demos will provide participants with firsthand exposure to advanced healthcare robotics technologies. Furthermore, Eurecat will present insights from the projects AICCELERATE (https://aiccelerate.eu/home/)and NhoA (https://nhoa-project.eu/).
Further information
Organisers
- Françoise Siepel (University of Twente), f.j.siepel@utwente.nl
- Maren Bödding (University of Twente), m.boedding@utwente.nl
- Gizem Bozdemir (PAL Robotics), gizem.bozdemir@pal-robotics.com
- Magí Dalmau (EURECAT), magi.dalmau@eurecat.org
WS#4 Machina delinquere (non) potest - Ethical consideration in AI and Robotics
Agata Suwala (MTC), Prof. Avv. Stefano Aterno (E-Lex), Sharath Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH), Franziska Kirstein (Blue Ocean Robotics)Room 20
iCal
Questions to be answered
Ethical considerations
- What are the ethical considerations with respect to robotics and AI?
- Ethical application of robots and AI across different cultures and societies?
- Ethical decision-making
- Applications of robotics and AI
Addressing Trustworthiness in Robotics and AI
- Ensuring human well-being and societal values
- Importance of global guidelines for trustworthiness in AI and robotics
- How can AI and robotics development avoid amplifying existing biases and inequalities in society?
- Researchers and policymakers perspective on ethics in robotics/AI
Description
Self-driving vehicles have already been involved in serious traffic accidents. Autonomous weapons can attack military targets without requiring the approval of a human operator but could strike civilians unrelated to the conflict. What responsibilities should or can remain with humans given the great limitations in predicting Robot and AI behaviour ?
Robotics and AI,in particular, have been a growing topic both in academia and industry. Introducing these novel and game-changing technologies has the potential to transform the way we design, produce and use items, but there are a number of ethical considerations that need to be addressed and understood.
This workshop will delve into two main topics relating to ethics in AI and robotics. First we will look into what are the ethical considerations that apply to robotics and AI - whether that is looking at societies and cultures or the legal implications for companies, end-users and customers. The second part will look at how we can address these considerations - whether that is through creating guidelines or increasing the trustworthiness of AI and robotics using AI.
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:40 Introduction - general presentation (Agata Suwala - MTC, United Kingdom)
- 08:40 - 08:50 Introduction - technical presentation (Ana Cavalcanti - University of York, United Kingdom)
- 08:55 - 09:45 Panel discussion (Karol Janik - MTC, United Kingdom; Rich Walker - Shadow Robot, United Kingdom; Christophe Leroux - CEA, France; Stefano Aterno - E-Lex, Italy)
- 09:45 - 09:50 Wrap up
Intended outcome
To attract interest regarding the interconnection between AI, ethics and robotics, and its impacts. Increase the understanding of links between robotics, AI and ethics from both the technology and societal point of view.
Speakers
- Agata Suwala - MTC, United Kingdom
- Ana Cavalcanti - University of York, United Kingdom
- Karol Janik - MTC, United Kingdom
- Rich Walker - Shadow Robot, United Kingdom
- Christophe Leroux - CEA, France
- Stefano Aterno - E-Lex, Italy
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
MTC, Creating an Accessible Workplace, Jessica Thorne, 2022
Further information
Organisers
- Agata Suwala (MTC), agata.suwala@the-mtc.org
- Prof. Avv. Stefano Aterno (E-Lex), stefano.aterno@unifg.it
- Sharath Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH), Sharath.Akkaladevi@profactor.at
- Franziska Kirstein (Blue Ocean Robotics) fk@blue-ocean-robotics.com
WS#58 Perceiving unknown and deformable objects in logistics and service robotics
Michael Suppa (Roboception GmbH), Florian Töper (Mercedes-Benz AG), Ashok Meenakshi Sundaram (DLR)Silchersaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
The workshop will introduce the novel methods for perceiving unknown objects and focus on their applicability. The attendees will get a high-level overview on the approaches enriched with application scenarios and interaction with the speakers online and in the panel. The outcome is an assessment of the current technology in real world applications and the current limitations and risks. End-users and SMEs will get an insight into how and when to use the technology. On the other side, researchers will learn what end-users expect from the technology and how it can be successfully brought to market.
Description
Perception is one of the key technologies for enabling flexible production, such as pick and place, machine tending, kitting, assembly, and quality testing. In order to make use of machine learning and AI in these applications, the challenge for obtaining good data for seen and unseen, potentially even deformable, objects is key.
One of the key findings of the previous workshop was that the use of synthetic data in combination with real data may be one of the solutions that can address this gap. This workshop covers technology and application presentations, with a focus on the industry and end-user perspective. The technology part covers the detection of unknown objects, estimation of grasp points on unknown objects, foundation models for perception, novel object introduction and adaptation followed by real life scenarios and use cases from e.g. the RoX-project. A Slido interactive session will assess questions, user needs and expectations. A panel session with the speakers will elaborate in detail the tech trends with focus on their industrial applicability for integrators and end-users.
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:35 Introduction and definition of key statements/questions (Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH & University of Bremen, Germany)
- 08:35 - 08:45 Perception Challenges for Kitting in Automotive Assembly Lines (Florian Töper - Mercedes-Benz AG, Germany)
- 08:45 - 08:55 Insights on Pose Estimation and Grasp Prediction of Unknown Objects (Rudolph Triebel - German Aerospace Center, Germany)
- 08:55 - 09:05 Perceiving Deformable Linear Objects in Real-World Scenarios (Alessio Caporali - University of Bologna & Robosect srl, Italy)
- 09:05 - 09:15 AI-based Perception of Seen and Unseen flexible Objects (Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH, Germany)
- 09:15 - 09:45 Interactive poll session/round table discussion with the audience
- 09:45 - 09:50 Closing remarks and take home messages
Intended outcome
The workshop will provide attendees with an in-depth understanding of AI-technology and its applicability for perceiving unknown and deformable objects. The interactive session will foster collaboration and perspectives from technology provider to end-user.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Rudolph Triebel - German Aerospace Center, Germany
- Alessio Caporali - University of Bologna & Robosect srl, Italy
- Florian Töper - Mercedes-Benz AG, Germany
- Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH & University of Bremen, Germany
Moderator
- Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH & University of Bremen, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Perception
Projects involved
ODIN: https://odin-h2020.eu/
RoX: https://www.project-rox.ai/
SMARTHANDLE: https://smarthandle-project.eu/
IntelliMan: https://intelliman-project.eu/
Further information
The workshop will be advertised on the Roboception website. The programme, ERF registration link and slides are available under the following link: https://roboception.com/workshop-at-erf-2025/
Organisers
- Michael Suppa (Roboception GmbH),
- Florian Töper (Mercedes-Benz AG),
- Ashok Meenakshi Sundaram (DLR)
WS#62 Future visions of robotics: AI, virtual twins and automation software for system integrators
Dr. Isabella R. Jesemann - Allianz Industrie 4.0 Baden-Württemberg, GermanyDr. Raphael Neuhaus - VDMA, Germany Anja Glässing - Allianz Industrie 4.0 BW, GermanyRoom 14-16
iCal
Questions to be answered
- How digital twins enable system integrators to plan, simulate and validate automation use-cases.
- How software is reshaping the way system integrators approach robot programming.
Description
This workshop highlights latest developments and future outlooks in the development of intuitive and end-user-friendly robot applications.
Discover the end-to-end, agnostic developer platform NOVA from Wandelbots that streamlines the entire automation lifecycle from planning and simulation with AI-powered digital twins to seamless real world robot applications, enabling novel business models for robotic system integrators.
Learn how Delta leverages Omniverse Isaac Sim to design, optimize, train, and deploy autonomous control systems for its robots and D-bots, enhancing efficiency and performance in smart factory automation.
Discuss the future role of robotic system integrators with the panel experts and connect your company with other relevant stakeholders.
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:35: Welcome and Introduction by the Organisers VDMA and Allianz Industrie 4.0 BW (Dr. Raphael Neuhaus - VDMA, Germany; Anja Glässing - Allianz Industrie 4.0 BW, Germany)
- 08:35 - 09:00: Delta’s AI-integrated Robot and D-Bot with Omniverse (Michael Mayer-Rosa - DELTA Electronics EMEA, Germany)
- 09:00 - 09:35: Maximising automation with an end-to-end agnostic automation & robotic platform (Christian Piecknick, Wandelbots GmbH & Jan Niklas, SHL GmbH)
- 09:35 - 10:00: Panel Discussion
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Christian Piechnick - Wandelbots GmbH, Germany
- Jan Niklas - SHL GmbH, Germany
- Michael Mayer-Rosa - DELTA Electronics EMEA, Germany
- Dr. Raphael Neuhaus - VDMA, Germany
- Anja Glässing - Allianz Industrie 4.0 BW, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau)
www.vdma.org
Allianz Industrie 4.0 BW
ALLIANZ Industrie 4.0 Baden Württemberg | Industrie 4.0
Projects involved
Wandelbots NOVA
NVIDIA Omniverse
Further information
In partnership with Wandelbots, SHL developed a custom surface treatment application on the NOVA platform. This solution features an intuitive interface and automated path generation, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises to implement robotic sanding without requiring in-depth programming knowledge. The collaboration demonstrates NOVA's potential to democratize advanced automation technologies.
Organisers
- Dr. Isabella R. Jesemann - Allianz Industrie 4.0 Baden-Württemberg, GermanyDr.
- Raphael Neuhaus - VDMA, Germany
- Anja Glässing - Allianz Industrie 4.0 BW, Germany
WS#85 Scientific Track Robotics I
Fraunhofer IPA, ISW University of StuttgartMaritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
iCal
Questions to be answered
Oral presentation of papers in the field of robotics.
Description
See below
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:45 Autonomous E-Scooters for Sustainable Urban Mobility: Achievements and Insights from an Experimental Prototype (Robin Strässer, Felix Brändle, David Meister, Marc Seidel, Frank Allgöwer - University of Stuttgart, Germany)
- 08:45 - 09:00 Aerial, Autonomous & Safe Solution for the Inspection of Underground Power Line Galleries (Marco Antonio Montes Grova, Francisco Javier Perez Grau, Antidio Viguria - CATEC, Spain; Daniel Diaz Gil - Segula Technologies, Spain)
- 09:00 - 09:15 Advances on Affordable Hardware Platforms for Human Demonstration Acquisition in Agricultural Applications (Alberto San Miguel, Gennaro Scarato, Alejandro Hernández, Mario Cavero, Aakash Maroti, Néstor García - Eurecat, Spain)
- 09:15 - 09:30 Dual-Piston Hoop Gear Driven MR Safe Pneumatic Stepper Motor (Vincent Groenhuis, Stefano Stramigioli - University of Twente, The Netherlands)
- 09:30 - 09:45 Structuring Social Robot Requirements: Integrating User Perception and Emotional Goals in Technical Development (Anu Piirisild, Leonid Zinatullin, Alina Roštšinskaja, Renno Raudmäe, Alvo Aabloo, Karl Kruusamäe - University of Tartu, Estonia; Rasmus Eist, Pallas University of Applied Sciences, Estonia; Anneli Kolk Tartu University Hospital, Estonia)
Intended outcome
To update the community about recent developments
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Robin Strässer - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Felix Brändle - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- David Meister - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Marc Seidel - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Frank Allgöwer - Universität Stuttgart, Germany
- Marco Antonio Montes Grova - CATEC, Spain
- Francisco Javier Perez Grau - CATEC, Spain
- Daniel Diaz Gil - Segula Technologies, Spain
- Antidio Viguria - CATEC, Spain
- Alberto San Miguel - Eurecat, Spain
- Gennaro Scarato - Eurecat, Spain
- Alejandro Hernández - Eurecat, Spain
- Mario Cavero - Eurecat, Spain
- Aakash Maroti - Eurecat, Spain
- Néstor García - Eurecat, Spain
- Vincent Groenhuis - University of Twente, The Netherlands
- Stefano Stramigioli - University of Twente, The Netherlands
- Anu Piirisild - University of Tartu, Estonia
- Leonid Zinatullin - University of Tartu, Estonia
- Alina Roštšinskaja - University of Tartu, Estonia
- Rasmus Eist - Pallas University of Applied Sciences, Estonia
- Renno Raudmäe - University of Tartu, Estonia
- Anneli Kolk - Tartu University Hospital, Estonia
- Alvo Aabloo - University of Tartu, Estonia
- Karl Kruusamäe - University of Tartu, Estonia
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- Fraunhofer IPA,
- ISW University of Stuttgart
10:00 - 10:30 Keynote Day 1
WS#81 ERF 2025 Keynote 1 - Dr. Jörg Burzer (Mercedes-Benz): Transformation in Production: Pioneering technologies for sustainable automotive production of the future.
euRobotics, Fraunhofer IPA and partnersHegelsaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
Description
At Mercedes-Benz, pioneering spirit is embedded in the company’s DNA, not just in all products but also in all manufacturing processes. The continuous efforts in automotive production focus on quality, efficiency, and innovation. In the keynote, Dr. Joerg Burzer will outline how Mercedes-Benz is exploring new frontiers as it actively shapes the future of work, mobility, and production through digitalization and robotics. Central to its approach is the human element: leveraging artificial intelligence to support daily tasks and optimizing the strengths of both humans and machines. Dr. Burzer will answer the questions, how Mercedes-Benz enhances productivity through data, automation, and key performance indicators, by embracing digitalization and cutting-edge technologies. How does AI-driven optimization help modular design to allow scalable processes? Data democratization and robots, AI, and digital tools support the company’s employees making production processes more efficient and simplified. The result: streamlined operations that save time, costs, and energy, while empowering employees to innovate and achieve greater efficiency productivity, safety and quality.
See: http://erf2025.eu/keynote-speakers/
Organisation of the WS
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Dr. Joerg Burzer is a member of the Board of Management at Mercedes-Benz AG, responsible for Production, Quality, and Supply Chain Management. Since his appointment on December 1, 2021, his role has been pivotal in managing a global production network that spans more than 30 vehicle, powertrain, and battery locations, along with worldwide logistics.
Born on January 21, 1970, in Nuremberg, Germany, Joerg pursued material science with a focus on metallurgy at the University of Erlangen. He obtained his Dr. Ing. in Material Science in 2000 with a thesis focusing on lightweight aluminum structures in automotive industry. He also studied at the Technical University of Copenhagen (Denmark) and stayed at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria (Republic of South Africa) as a research fellow, broadening his academic horizons.
Joerg kicked off his career in 1999 at DaimlerChrysler AG in vehicle pre-development. Over the years, he has held numerous influential positions in Procurement, Development, Quality, Production and Logistics. In 2010, he became Head of Production Control and Logistics in Tuscaloosa (U.S.). Three years later, in 2013, he continued his international experience as Director of Product and Production Strategy & Supplier Quality in Beijing/ China. After returning to Germany in 2016, he served as Vice President of Quality Management at Mercedes-Benz Cars. In 2019, he was named Executive Vice President and joined the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, taking charge of Production & Supply Chain Management.
Joerg’s extensive experience and leadership have been crucial in driving Mercedes-Benz’s dedication to excellence in production, quality, and supply chain management.
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- euRobotics,
- Fraunhofer IPA and partners
10:30 - 11:10 Coffee Break with late breaking results posters
WS#90 Late-Breaking-results Poster Session
Frauhofer-IPA and partnersHegelsaal Balcony
iCal
Questions to be answered
tbd
Description
tbd
Organisation of the WS
tbd
Intended outcome
To update the community about recent developments
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- tbd
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- Frauhofer-IPA and partners
11:10 - 12:30 Opening
WS#80 ERF 2025 Opening
euRobotics, Fraunhofer IPA and partnersHegelsaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
Description
The official opening will have short statements by key players and invited guests as well as a panel discussion
Organisation of the WS
tbd
Intended outcome
Welcoming the community and share some thoughts
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Prof. Hanselka - Fraunhofer, Germany
- Bernd Liepert - euRobotics, Germany
- Werner Kraus - Local organizer, Germany
- Prof. Middendorf - University of Stuttgart, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Download *.ICS for your personal Outlook, Google, Apple calendar:
Organisers
- euRobotics,
- Fraunhofer IPA and partners
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch Break
No workshops in this session.
13:20 - 14:00 Late breaking results posters
WS#101 Late-Breaking-results Poster Session 2
Frauhofer-IPA and partnersHegelsaal Balcony
iCal
Questions to be answered
tbd
Description
Site visits 8:30 - 13:30 to:
- SCHUNK (Brackenheim-Hausen) and IPAI (Heilbronn)
- BOSCH (Ulm)
- Mercedes (Sindelfingen)
- Neura Robotics (Metzingen) and FANUC (Neuhausen)
Organisation of the WS
Details on the site visits will follow shortly. Please note that a pre-registration is required.
Intended outcome
To get a better connection to companies in the region.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
n/a
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
ERF organisers in cooperation with the respective companies
14:00 - 15:20 Sessions Afternoon Day 1 -slot 1
WS#24 euRobotics TechTransfer Award 2025
Rainer Bischoff (Intrinsic, an Alphabet company)Silchersaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
- Which collaborations between research and industry have been the most successful in creating impactful robotics solutions in recent years?
Description
Presentations by Technology Transfer Award 2025 Finalists
Organisation of the WS
Welcome Remarks by Jury (Rainer Bischoff)
Finalist Pitches (in random order):
- PREDIRE - Autonomous Sewer Network Inspection System, Mehdi Boukallel (CEA-List)
- olixSense - AI-Powered Inertial Measurement Unit for Advanced Robotics, Dr. Edwin Babaians (Olive Robotics GmbH)
- Cortex - A Physical AI Orchestration Model for Small Batch Manufacturing, Suman Pal (Telekinesis GmbH)
- Hammerhead - Enabling Precision Agriculture Through Autonomous Robots, Lorenzo Marconi (FieldRobotics Ltd.)
Intended outcome
The Technology Transfer Award highlights cutting-edge innovation. By attending the 2025 session, you'll discover what makes successful technology transfer, learn about current market trends, and see the latest advancements in robotics. You'll also have the chance to network with leading experts in the field.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Finalists
- Project: PREDIRE - Autonomous Sewer Network Inspection System
- Mehdi Boukallel (CEA-List)
- Damien Vautier (Sarp, VEOLIA Group)
- Jérôme Taufour (Sarp, VEOLIA Group)
- Project: olixSense - AI-Powered Inertial Measurement Unit for Advanced Robotics
- Dr. Edwin Babaian (Olive Robotics GmbH)
- Dr. Mojtaba Leox Karimi (Olive Robotics GmbH)
- Prof. Dr. Eckehard Steinbach (Technical University of Munich)
- Project: Cortex - A Physical AI Orchestration Model for Small Batch Manufacturing
- Suman Pal (Telekinesis GmbH)
- Arjun Datta (Telekinesis GmbH)
- Prof. Jan Peters (Technical University of Darmstadt)
- Project: Hammerhead - Enabling Precision Agriculture Through Autonomous Robots
- Andrea Sala (FieldRobotics Ltd.)
- Dario Mengoli (FieldRobotics Ltd.)
- Lorenzo Marconi (FieldRobotics Ltd.)
Jury Members
- Rainer Bischoff - Intrinsic, an Alphabet Company, Germany
- Herman Bruyninckx - KU Leuven & TU Eindhoven & Flanders Make, the Netherlands
- Fariba Khatami - VDMA Robotics + Automation, Germany
- Werner Kraus - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Nicola Tomatis - BlueBotics SA, Switzerland
- Georg von Wichert - Siemens, Germany
- Claus Risager - REGASIR ApS, Denmark
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
Further information
TechTransfer Award on euRobotics Website: https://eu-robotics.net/techtransfer-award/
Organisers
- Rainer Bischoff (Intrinsic, an Alphabet company)
WS#28 Sustainable business models to accelerate robotics technology adoption - going beyond the use-case
Brigita Jurisic (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory), Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Carl Mörch (FARI - Ai for the Common Good Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles), Sharath Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH)Room 25-27
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Questions to be answered
- What sustainable business models can drive scalable and environmentally-conscious adoption of robotics technologies?
- How can mutualization of infrastructure and shared resources maximize efficiency and reduce costs in robotics?
- What roles do various actors—such as businesses, public sectors, and community organizations—play in promoting sustainable robotics adoption?
Description
This workshop will focus on sustainable business models in robotics, where we go beyond traditional use cases to explore innovative, scalable, and environmentally-conscious strategies. The session will delve into the ways robotics businesses can drive technology adoption sustainably, examining various models that support the mutualization of infrastructure and shared resources to maximize efficiency and reduce costs. Attendees will explore ingredients for building impactful business models that not only accelerate the adoption of robotics technologies but also create lasting value by minimizing resource waste and enhancing operational sustainability. From robotics libraries and robot-as-a-service to creating new business models, we expect participants to share their experiences and views.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:05 Introduction to the Workshop's goals, the importance of sustainable business models in accelerating robotics technology adoption, and an overview of the session's format
- Opening words: Carl Mörch
- What’s your field?: Brigita Jurisic
- 14:05 - 14:45 Series of short, focused talks to set the stage for collaborative discussion:
- Lucas Secades, Brubotics, Tech Transfer and Business Perspective: Insights on tech transfer in robotics from a business angle, including challenges in moving from prototype to implementation.
- Shirley Elprama, FARI-imecSMIT, robotics sustainably by enabling shared use of expensive equipment, reducing costs, and fostering collaboration.
- Jonna Bjork, ROBOCOAST.eu, perspective of a EDIH specialized in robotics
- Oswald Bratu, Profactor, European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH): The role of European initiatives in driving robotics projects, involving end-users, and supporting shared infrastructure and resources
- 14:45 - 15:15 Workshop / Discussion Session - Brigita Jurisic
- Participants break into small, facilitated groups working on identifying stakeholder perspectives for enabling the design of novel sustainable business models for robotics focussing on scalable implementations. Perspective cards, Stakeholder map, post it notes, A3 papers and pens should be provided.
- 15:15 - 15:20 One minute pitch: what is the most important perspective for your field?
Intended outcome
Receiving inspirations, suggestions of comprehensive business models for robotics and sustainability.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Brigita Jurisic - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
- Lucas Secades, Brubotics, Belgium
- Carl Mörch - FARI - Ai for the Common Good Institute, Belgium
- Oswald Bratu - PROFACTOR GmbH, Austria
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG Sustainability for Robotics
CAIRNE
Projects involved
- FORGING – Forum to uncover the potential of emerging enabling technologies (Horizon Europe led by INL, Portugal) https://forging-hub.eu/
- AI5 Production (https://ai5production.at/)
- ZERO3 (https://www.profactor.at/forschung/industrielle-automatisierungssysteme/robotik/projekte/zero3/)
Further information
Organisers
- Brigita Jurisic (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory), brigita.jurisic@inl.int
- Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Franziska.Kirstein@gmail.com
- Carl Mörch (FARI - Ai for the Common Good Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles), carl.morch@fari.brussels
- Sharath Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH) Sharath.Akkaladevi@profactor.at
WS#35 Innovations and developments in Inspection & Maintenance Robotics
Aksel A. Transeth (SINTEF), Ferdinando Cannella (IIT), Evangelos Boukas (DTU), Mehdi Boukallel (CEA List), Malcolm Mielle (Schindler AG)Room 11-13
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Questions to be answered
The workshop will be focused on two main questions
- What are the latest advancements and future trends in inspection and maintenance (I&M) robotics, including AI integration, digital twins, and human-robot collaboration?
- How can robotic systems provide value and be effectively scaled and implemented in real-world maintenance scenarios, particularly for hard-to-reach areas and large-scale infrastructures?
Description
Robot manipulators and unmanned vehicles continue to make their way into more and more applications within inspection and maintenance (I&M), and in combination with AI and data, they provide value to the industry and public sector in a variety of sectors. There are lots of potential use cases for I&M robotics, but to bring the industry and research forward we need to identify further what are the use cases with high-value, and what latest results from the technology development and research can meet the needs of these use cases, and other future use cases. These are the topics of this ERF2025 workshop. The topics will be addressed through a series of short presentations by key stakeholders, followed by an engaging plenary discussion.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:50 Short, 6-minute presentations / statements addressing the key questions of the workshop and highlighting insights from real use cases and relevant technologies:
- Offshore wind and I&M robotics (Andry Maykol Pinto - Inesctec, Portugal)
- Using ground robots to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Lukas Silberbauer - Taurob, Austria)
- Autonomous robotics through embodied AI (Kostas Alexis - NTNU, Norway; Mihir R. Dharmadhikari - NTNU, Norway)
- Autonomous aerial inspection of GNSS-denied and confined maritime assets (Evangelos Boukas DTU, Denmark)
- Robotics for data collection and maintenance (Mirko Kovac - Aerial Robotics Laboratory, Imperial College London & Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics, EMPA/EPFL, Norway)
- AI-driven context understanding and action enhancement for Robotics (Selen Pehlivan Tort - VTT, Finland)
- A Novel Remote Visual Inspection System for Predictive Maintenance (Adriano Mancini - Polytechnic University of the Marches, Italy)
- Employee Centric Change Management - The Key to Future Proof Automated Inspections with Robotics (Benjamin Mottis - ANYbotics, Switzerland)
- 14:50 - 15:20 Active plenary discussions among all workshop participants (speakers and attendees)
Intended outcome
We target the following main outcomes for end-users, suppliers and researchers attending the workshop:
- Insights into the latest advancements and future trends in inspection and maintenance (I&M) robotics, including AI integration, digital twins, and human-robot collaboration.
- Insights into how robotic systems provide value and be effectively scaled and implemented in real-world maintenance scenarios, particularly for hard-to-reach areas and large-scale infrastructures.
We will produce a summary of the workshop and share presentations in the cases possible. The inputs from the workshop could be used as inputs to other documents, e.g., strategy work in ADRA and euRobotics, and efforts in other organizations and networks.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Andry Maykol Pinto - Inesctec, Portugal
- Lukas Silberbauer - Taurob, Austria
- Kostas Alexis - NTNU, Norway
- Mihir R. Dharmadhikari - NTNU, Norway
- Evangelos Boukas - DTU, Denmark
- Mirko Kovac - Aerial Robotics Laboratory, Imperial College London & Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics, EMPA/EPFL, Switzerland
- Selen Pehlivan Tort - VTT, Finland
- Adriano Mancini - Polytechnic University of the Marches, Italy
- Benjamin Mottis - ANYbotics, Switzerland
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
The workshop program is organized by the euRobotics topic group (TG) on I&M in collaboration with the RIMA Alliance euRobotics innovation network (https://rima-network.eu-robotics.net/) and the AI, Data and Robotics Association (Adra) topic group on I&M.
Projects involved
EU-projects involved include:
- JARVIS, https://www.jarvis-project.eu/
- AEROSUB
- AUTOASSESS, https://autoassess.eu/
Further information
Please see this webpage for further information: https://www.sintef.no/en/events/erf2025-workshop-innovations-and-developments-in-inspection-maintenance-robotics/
Organisers
- Aksel A. Transeth (SINTEF), aksel.a.transeth@sintef.no
- Ferdinando Cannella (IIT), ferdinando.cannella@iit.it
- Evangelos Boukas (DTU), evanb@dtu.dk
- Mehdi Boukallel (CEA List), mehdi.boukallel@cea.fr
- Malcolm Mielle (Schindler AG) malcolm.mielle@schindler.com
WS#38 Bringing Exoskeletons to Life in Europe: From Labs to Real-World Impact: part I
Dr. Shirley A. Elprama (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI), Dr. Tommaso Bagneschi (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), Dr. Andrea Calanca (University of Verona), Dr. Domenico Chiaradia (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), Dr. Cristian Camardella (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), Prof. An Jacobs (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI), Prof. Antonio Frisoli (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa)Room 22-24
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Questions to be answered
- What research is being done on rehabilitation and occupational exoskeletons?
- What are the experiences of exoskeleton companies?
- What different types of exoskeletons are there?
- How does it feel to wear an exoskeleton?
- To which extent have exoskeletons been adopted?
- Which aspects are important to enhance acceptance of people to wear exoskeletons?
Description
This first workshop on exoskeletons with speakers from industry and academia focuses on exoskeletons for rehabilitation and industry and includes the technical aspects and evaluation of exoskeletons. It focuses on how exoskeleton technologies developed by European research groups and companies are making an impact in the real world.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:05 Introduction: Exoskeletons in Europe (Dr. Cristian Camardella – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa, Italy)
- 14:05 - 14:15 [Title to be announced] (Prof. Giovanni Berselli – University of Genova, Italy)
- 14:15 - 14:25 Rehabilitation and Occupational Exoskeletons: Sant’Anna’s experience (Dr. Tommaso Bagneschi – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa, Italy)
- 14:25 - 14:35 Hybrid Arm Exoskeleton: Energy-efficient Architecture for Load-Handling Assistance (Eng. Edgar Daniel Fonseca Roja – Wearable Robotics, Italy)
- 14:35 - 14:45 Industrial exoskeletons evaluation: methodologies and experiences (Dr. Angel Dacal – CTAG Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia, Spain)
- 14:45 - 15:15 Interactive Demos: Workshop participants will be able to try out different exoskeletons and engage with experts
- 15:15 - 15:20 Closing (Dr. Andrea Calanca – University of Verona, Italy)
Intended outcome
- Participants will gain insights into the current landscape of exoskeleton technology in Europe.
- Attendees will have the opportunity to try exoskeletons firsthand and understand the practical challenges and benefits of their usage.
- Establish a bridge between academic research, industrial needs, and potential users for increased technology adoption.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Dr. Cristian Camardella – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa, Italy
- Prof. Giovanni Berselli – Uniservity of Genova, Italy
- Dr. Tommaso Bagneschi – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa, Italy
- Eng. Edgar Daniel Fonseca Roja – Wearable Robotics, Italy
- Dr. Angel Dacal – Innovation and Impact in Manufacturing Head of Department, CTAG Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia, Spain
- Dr. Andrea Calanca – University of Verona, Italy
Demo
The final list of exoskeleton demos is still under construction but will include prototypes and commercially available exoskeletons of various EU countries including Italy and Germany.
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Not applicable.
Projects involved
- NRRP AVATAR
- SWAG Project
- SUPERHUMAN project
Further information
Not applicable.
Organisers
- Dr. Shirley A. Elprama (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI), shirley.elprama@vub.be
- Dr. Tommaso Bagneschi (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), tommaso.bagneschi@santannapisa.it
- Dr. Andrea Calanca (University of Verona), andrea.calanca@univr.it
- Dr. Domenico Chiaradia (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), domenico.chiaradia@santannapisa.it
- Dr. Cristian Camardella (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), cristian.camardella@santannapisa.it
- Prof. An Jacobs (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI),
- Prof. Antonio Frisoli (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa)
WS#52 6G empowering future robotics
Kaspar Althoefer - (one6G association, Queen Mary University of London), Mona Ghassemian (one6G association, Huawei), Karol Janik (euRobotics, Telerobotics TG), Paolo Barattini (euRobotics, Standards TG), Antidio Viguria Jiménez (euRobotics, Aerial Robotics TG), Aksel A. Transeth (euRobotics, Inspection & Maintenance TG), Daniel Gordon (one6G association, HWDU), Mohammad Shikh-Bahaei (one6g association, KCL), Periklis Chatzimisios (one6G association, IHU), Ana Garcia Armada (one6G association, UC3M), Youssef Nasser (one6G association, Greenwave), Joseph Eichinger (one6G association, HWDU), Albena Mihovska (one6G association, SmartAvatar B.V.), Xueli An (one6G association, HWDU), Narcis Cardona (one6G association, UPV)Room 14-16
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Questions to be answered
- Robotic requirements: what are the human and robot interaction and communication and sensing requirements and how to measure them.
- Robotic use case scenarios: which robotic use case domains have the potential to significantly be enhanced by 6G enabling tech? Key domains including Agriculture, Healthcare, Industrial Robotics, Logistics and Transport, Assisted Living, Space, Construction, Inspection & maintenance, Aerial robotics, Automation and navigation, and Harsh environment. For example, for the case of Aerial robotics:
- How can 6G networks support long distance operations at low level altitude (below 120 meters above ground)?
- Can 6G networks provide accurate positioning to complement GNSS-based positions?
- How can 6G networks provide edge computing resources on the network to implement high demand AI-based algorithms with aerial robots in real-time and for safety critical functionalities?
- Lessons learned for networked robotics: What are the key connectivity-related lessons learned from commercial deployments of networked robotics systems?
- Enabling technologies: what are the main elements that may allow us to achieve the challenging requirements? How can robotic technologies improve the performance of 6G networks and vice versa?
- New features from 6G: What are the new/enhanced features introduced by 6G which are essential for robotic industries?
- AI techniques’ Privacy and Ethical consideration: What are the considerations for AI models and techniques for processing multimodal information collected either by cameras on the robot or 6G sensing in the edge/cloud?
- Standards: Route for 6G research outputs for standardisation and challenges, cross SDOs collaboration for harmonised and interoperable standards.
Description
Overall, the workshop provides a unique forum to explore the transformative impact of 6G on the future of telerobotics. It brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss this important intersection of technologies.
The workshop begins with a presentation of the new one6G whitepaper, “6G Empowering Future Robotics: Mapping Requirements and Advancements for the IMT-2030 Framework” by Prof. Kaspar Althoefer. This will be followed by two provocation talks from Dr. Karol Janik and Dr. Jesus Fernandez Lozano, who will share insights from the robotics and communication perspectives.
Breakout sessions, moderated by Dr. Paolo Barattini, will provide a platform for participants to explore the transformative effects of 6G across various applications, including healthcare, manufacturing, and disaster response. The workshop will focus on three key themes: the interplay between 6G and robotics, testbeds and implementation challenges, and routes to standardization.
The breakout sessions will conclude with Dr. Mona Ghassemian highlighting a roadmap based on the group discussions, followed by Prof. Kaspar Althoefer, who will close the workshop and share information about planned follow-up activities.
Breakout session Themes:
Theme 1) The Interplay of 6G and Robotics
- Key Focus Areas:
- Insights: Explore the key robotic use cases where 6G can greatly enhance performance and functionality. How can we leverage 6G to improve robotics capabilities, especially regarding connectivity, sensing, connection speed, and network reliability?
- Recommendations: Suggest strategies for integrating robotics into the 6G infrastructure like automated network maintenance, extended coverage by UAVs, and improve localisation through SLAM.
- Highlight Expert Needs: Specify challenges or innovations that should be addressed by experts from one6G and eu-robotics to maximize the impact of 6G on robotics and facilitate robotics integration into 6G.
- Collaborative Opportunities: Identify potential partnerships with telecom providers, robotics manufacturers, or research institutions that can facilitate the integration of 6G into robotics and enhance 6G implementations.
Theme 2) Standardisation Activities
- Key Focus Areas:
- Insights: Discuss the current state and importance of standardization in the fields of 6G and robotics. Highlight existing standards and gaps.
- Recommendations: Propose actionable steps to help with standardisation efforts.
- Collaborative Opportunities: Identify organizations or bodies that can work together on standardization initiatives.
- Highlight Expert Needs: Specify what key topics need to be addressed by experts from both eu-robotics and one6G to support effective standardisation.
Theme 3) Testbeds, PoCs and Implementations
- Key Focus Areas:
- Insights: Explore the role of testbeds in validating and implementing 6G and robotics technologies. Discuss successful case studies or pilot projects.
- Recommendations: Suggest actionable steps to improve testbed initiatives for both fields.
- Collaborative Opportunities: Identify potential partnerships for developing or enhancing testbed environments.
- Highlight Expert Needs: If you have a request from the research community that helps with your implementation and operation, what would that be?
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:05 Introduction and Structure Explanation (Prof. Kaspar Althoefer - Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), United Kingdom)
- 14:05 - 14:15 Provocation 1: Robotic Perspective & Discussion (Dr. Karol Janik - the-MTC & TeleRobotics TG Chair, United Kingdom)
- 14:15 - 14:25 Provocation 2: Communication Perspective & Discussion (Dr. Jesus Fernandez Lozano - Universidad de Málaga (UMA), Spain)
- 14:25 - 15:10 Breakout Sessions (one6G/eu-robotics) (Dr. Paolo Barattini - K46 / Standard TG Chair, Italy)
- The Interplay of 6G and Robotics (Alireza Rastegarpanah - Birmingham City University, United Kingdom; Karol Janik the-MTC & TeleRobotics TG Chair, United Kingdom; Daniel Gordon - Huawei, Germany)
- Standardisation Activities (Dr. Paolo Barattini - K46 / Standard TG Chair, Italy; Albena Mihovska - SmartAvatar B.V., one6G, Denmark; Howard Li - University of New Brunswick, USA
- Testbeds and Implementations (Azmat Hossain (Extended robotics, United Kingdom; Jesus Fernandez - UMA, Spain; Joseph Eichinger - Huawei, Germany; Francisco Javier Perez-Grau (Catec/Aerial Robotics TG/I&M TG))
- 15:10 - 15:20 Discussions and Conclusion (Prof. Kaspar Althoefer - QMUL, United Kingdom; Mona Ghassemian - Huawei, United Kingdom)
Intended outcome
General outcome:
Overall, the workshop provides a unique forum to explore the transformative impact of 6G on the future of telerobotics. It brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss this important intersection of technologies.
The workshop aims to facilitate collaboration between robotics and communications experts. This will enable them to jointly address the potential challenges, as well as to discuss the robotic requirements and potential capabilities for communication systems, and vice versa.
Outcomes for the Robotics Community:
- Gain insights into how 6G technology can enable advanced telerobotics capabilities
- Learn about the latest research and developments in 6G for robotic applications
- Opportunity to network and collaborate with leading experts in 6G and robotics
Outcomes for End-Users:
- Understand how 6G-enabled telerobotics can improve remote operations and service delivery
- Explore new use cases for telerobotics in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, disaster response, etc.
- Provide input to shape the development of 6G for end-user needs
Outcomes for SMEs:
- Learn about new market opportunities for 6G robotics startups
- Connect with potential partners, customers, and investors
Outcomes for Researchers:
- Engage with the broader 6G and robotics research community
- Showcase your latest work and get feedback to advance the field
- Identify new research directions and collaboration opportunities
[* one6G WI216 whitepaper is planned to be released at the Workshop]
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Robotics: Kaspar Althoefer - Queen Mary University of London, Jesus Fernandez (UMA), Karol Janik (Telerobotic TG))
- Communication: Mona Ghassemian - Huawei, United Kingdom, Albena Mihovska - SmartAvatar B.V.
- Breakout session Moderator: Paolo Barattini (Standard TG)
Speakers & Breakout session Leads
- Kaspar Althoefer - Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
- Karol Janik - MTC, United Kingdom
- Jesus Fernandez - UMA, Spain
- Paolo Barattini - K46, Italy
- Mona Ghassemian - Huawei, United Kingdom
- Howard Li - University of New Brunswick, USA
- Joseph Eichinger - Huawei, Germany
- Azmat Hossain - Extended robotics, United Kingdom
- Alireza Rastegarpanah - Birmingham City University, United Kingdom
- Francisco Javier Perez-Grau, Catec, Spain
- Daniel Gordon - Huawei, Germany
> eu-Robotics Topic Groups (TGs) involved in workshop organisation:
Telerobotics TG; Standards TG; Aerial Robotics TG; Inspection & Maintenance TG
> one6G Work Items (WI) [Working groups – one6G – Taking communications to the next level] involved in workshop organisation:
WG1: 6G and robotics (WI102); WG2: Multimodal sensing, communication and control for 6G remote operation (WI213) and 6G-empowered robotics (WI216); WG4 Testbed and demonstration WI and WG3 Dissemination.
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
Further information
Following the one6G and eu-robotics joint workshop at the one6G summit 2023 in Munich and MoU agreement signed at one6G Summit 2024 in Valencia, the one6G working item members on the 6G and robotics topic organised a joint workshop with eu-robotics TGs under the European Robotics Forum (ERF).
Organisers
- Kaspar Althoefer - (one6G association, Queen Mary University of London),
- Mona Ghassemian (one6G association, Huawei),
- Karol Janik (euRobotics, Telerobotics TG),
- Paolo Barattini (euRobotics, Standards TG),
- Antidio Viguria Jiménez (euRobotics, Aerial Robotics TG),
- Aksel A. Transeth (euRobotics, Inspection & Maintenance TG),
- Daniel Gordon (one6G association, HWDU),
- Mohammad Shikh-Bahaei (one6g association, KCL),
- Periklis Chatzimisios (one6G association, IHU),
- Ana Garcia Armada (one6G association, UC3M),
- Youssef Nasser (one6G association, Greenwave),
- Joseph Eichinger (one6G association, HWDU),
- Albena Mihovska (one6G association, SmartAvatar B.V.),
- Xueli An (one6G association, HWDU),
- Narcis Cardona (one6G association, UPV)
WS#6 Robotics & AI for Harsh Environments: Cross-sector synergies and opportunities
Eloise Matheson (CERN), Ladislav Vargovčík (Technical University Kosice), Karol Janik (Manufacturing Technology Centre)Room 20
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Questions to be answered
1. What are the key technological and operational challenges for deploying robotics and AI in harsh environments, and how can shared autonomy and teleoperation address them?
2. How can lessons and technologies developed for one sector (e.g., nuclear or big science) be transferred to benefit another (e.g., forestry or deep-sea exploration)?
3. What are the pathways for fostering collaboration across industries to drive innovation, standardization, and cost-effective solutions in harsh environment robotics?
Description
Harsh and challenging environments – from nuclear decommissioning sites and dense forestry management operations to cutting-edge big science facilities – demand innovative Robotics solutions including remote operations, telerobotics, and supervised autonomy. These sectors share similar challenges: extreme conditions, limited human access, and the need for high precision, safety and reliability.
This workshop explores how Robotics and AI can address these challenges and identifies opportunities for cross-sector knowledge sharing and technology adoption. By leveraging synergies between industries, we aim to accelerate the development and deployment of robotics systems that can thrive in hostile and unstructured environments.
The session will feature three keynote presentations from leading experts in robotics and AI for harsh environments, covering advancements and case studies in remote operations, shared autonomy, and sensor integration. Each presentation will highlight specific sector challenges, innovative solutions, and lessons learned from deployments in nuclear, big science, and forestry sectors.
Following the keynotes, there will be an interactive Q&A session where participants can engage directly with the speakers. The workshop will conclude with a panel discussion featuring experts and industry leaders, focusing on cross-sector synergies, collaborative opportunities, and future directions for robotics and AI in harsh environments.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:05 Introduction (Ladislav Vargovčík - Technical University Kosice, Slovakia)
- 14:05 - 14:15 Keynote presentation – Nuclear (Emmanuel Wozniak - EDF, France)
- 14:15 - 14:25 Keynote presentation – Big Science/Fusion (Eloise Matheson - CERN, Switzerland)
- 14:25 - 14:35 Keynote presentation/demo – Forestry Machinery (Esa Haapa-aho - Terrasolid, Finland)
- 14:35 - 14:45 Keynote presentation/demo – Forest Machinery (Tobias Semberg, Ebbe Lindberg - Skogforsk, Norway)
- 14:45 - 14:55 Keynote presentation/demo – Technology Solutions (Azmat Hossain - Extend Robotics, United Kingdom)
- 15:00 - 15:20 Discussion on possible future activities (Ladislav Vargovčík - Technical University Kosice, Slovakia)
Intended outcome
This workshop will bring together experts, practitioners, and researchers to showcase successes, share challenges, and build bridges between sectors, ultimately fostering innovation and accelerating adoption. As a stretch goal the workshop would aim to create a short whitepaper publication.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Ladislav Vargovčík - Technical University Kosice, Slovakia
- Emmanuel Wozniak - EDF, France
- Eloise Matheson - CERN, Switzerland
- Esa Haapa-aho - Terrasolid, Finland
- Tobias Semberg - Skogforsk, Norway
- Ebbe Lindberg - Skogforsk, Norway
- Azmat Hossain - Extend Robotics, United Kingdom
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- euRobotics Telerobotics Topic Group
- euRobotics Harsh Environments Topic Group
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- Eloise Matheson (CERN), eloise.matheson@cern.ch
- Ladislav Vargovčík (Technical University Kosice), ladislav.vargovcik@tuke.sk
- Karol Janik (Manufacturing Technology Centre) karol.janik@the-mtc.org
WS#86 Scientific Track AI for Robotics
Fraunhofer IPA, ISW University of StuttgartMaritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
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Questions to be answered
Oral presentation of papers in the field of AI for robotics.
Description
See below
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:15 Task-oriented Visual Object Pose Estimation for Robot Manipulation: A Modular Approach (Ahmed Abdelrahman, Abdalla Swikir, Sami Haddadin - Technical University of Munich, Germany; Peter So - MIRMI, Germany; Hoan Le - MIRMI & TUM, Germany)
- 14:15 - 14:30 Model-Based Reinforcement Learning for Robust End-to-End UAV Control from Simulation to Real System Application (Maximilian Mehl, Marco Tognon - Inria, Rennes, France; Alberto Dalla Libera, Ruggero Carli - University of Padova, Italy)
- 14:30 - 14:45 Addressing Failures in Robotics using Vision-Based Language Models (VLMs) and Behavior Trees (BT) (Faseeh Ahmad - Lund University, Sweden; Jonathan Styrud - KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden; Volker Krueger - LTH, Sweden)
- 14:45 - 15:00 MarineLLM-PDDL: Generation of Planning Domains for Marine Vessels Using Past Incident Response Plans (Mahya Mohammadi Kashani, Stefan Heinrich, Andrzej Wąsowski - IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark)
- 15:00 - 15:15 Robot Pouring: Modeling and Sim-to-Real Evaluation Using Causal Discovery (Jaime Maldonado - University of Bremen, Germany; Jonas Krumme, Christoph Zetzsche - Cognitive Neuroinformatics, University of Bremen, Germany; Malte Huerkamp, Michael Beetz - Institute for Artificial Intelligence, University of Bremen, Germany)
Intended outcome
To update the community about recent developments
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Ahmed Abdelrahman - Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Abdalla Swikir - Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Sami Haddadin - Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Peter So - MIRMI, Germany
- Hoan Le - MIRMI & TUM, Germany
- Maximilian Mehl - Inria, Rennes, France
- Marco Tognon - Inria, Rennes, France
- Alberto Dalla Libera - University of Padova, Italy
- Ruggero Carli - University of Padova, Italy
- Faseeh Ahmad - Lund University, Sweden
- Jonathan Styrud - KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
- Volker Krueger - LTH, Sweden
- Mahya Mohammadi Kashani - IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Stefan Heinrich - IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Andrzej Wąsowski - IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Jaime Maldonado - University of Bremen, Germany
- Jonas Krumme - Cognitive Neuroinformatics, University of Bremen, Germany
- Christoph Zetzsche - Cognitive Neuroinformatics, University of Bremen, Germany
- Malte Huerkamp - Institute for Artificial Intelligence, University of Bremen, Germany
- Michael Beetz - Institute for Artificial Intelligence, University of Bremen, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- Fraunhofer IPA,
- ISW University of Stuttgart
15:20 - 16:00 Coffee Break with late breaking results posters
WS#102 Late-Breaking-results Poster Session
Frauhofer-IPA and partnersHegelsaal Balcony
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Questions to be answered
tbd
Description
General Assembly in revised format
Organisation of the WS
The registration process to the GA will be communicated soon to the members
Intended outcome
tbd
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- tbd
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- euRobotics
16:00 -17:20 Sessions Afternoon Day 1 -slot 2
WS#30 Test before Invest! Reproducibility, Benchmarking and Competitions as enablers of technology transfer
Fabio Bonsignorio (University of Zagreb FER and Heron Robots), Pedro U. Lima (ISR/IST, University of Lisbon), Daniel Bargmann (Fraunhofer IPA), Peter So (TUM), Mikkel Olsen (DTI), Ian Pulford (Smart City Consultancy)Room 14-16
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Questions to be answered
- When can research results be considered ‘true’?
- What does it mean that some research results are ‘reproducible’?
- How can different approaches to cope with the same task sets be compared?
- How to estimate the TRL of a robotic solution?
- Does it make sense to talk about ‘Evidence Based’ Investing and Technology Transfer in Robotics?
- How to encourage modular, transferable and reusable solutions for robotics subsystems?
- What should an investor look for in a competition/challenge?
- Are cooperative competitions (coopetitions) better than competitions?
- What’s the impact of competitions, challenges and hackathons on the progress of research and tech transfer in Robotics?
Description
The fundamental objective of this workshop is to furnish practical examples, case studies, and directions for a thorough comprehension of the role of reproducibility, benchmarking, competitions and challenges in robotics, facilitated by expert inspiration and mentoring. By emphasizing the importance of consistent and reproducible results in practical robotic applications, we seek to expand knowledge, facilitate collaborative research and crucially speed up the rate of innovation.
We will highlight the critical roles of robot competitions, challenges as well as reproducibility and benchmarking, and modularity, transferability and compositionality, fostering research and innovation progresses, as well as reducing the hurdles in robot technologies' transferability from lab to market. (euROBIN)
We will discuss challenges, competitions, reproducibility and benchmarking can accelerate the transition to sustainable Manufacturing, Circular Economy and Smart Cities.
Organisation of the WS
- An Introduction to Coopetitions: An applied example from the euROBIN Project in Nancy (Pedro Lima)
- The long road to reproducibility and objective evaluation of performances in Robotics and AI (Fabio Bonsignorio)
- Promoting Real-World Benchmarks with the euROBIN Electronic Task Board in the Manipulation Skill Versatility Challenge at IROS 2024, Preview of Robothon Grand Challenge at automatica 2025 (Peter So)
- Challenges for Smart cities (Ian Pulford)
- Developing Software for Sim-to-Real Skill Development (Simeon Tsvetanov, HPC)
- Startup Investments in Germany: Fostering Collaboration Between Industry and Science to Unveil Emerging Talent (Nicole Ebner, Robo.Innovate)
- Extending the euROBIN Electronic Task Board to the ROS Ecosystem. Middleware as a Connector (Jaime Martin, eProsima)
- Robotic Challenges from an Industry POV. Organization and Experiences from the ARENA2036 Wire-Harness Challenge (Robert Süß-Wolf)
- Poster Pitches (Fabio Bonsignorio)
- Discussion
We also aim to validate the ‘Rimini Declaration’ and a one page summary of it.
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Fabio Bonsignorio - Heron Robots & FER, University of Zagreb, Italy
- Pedro Lima - ISR/IST, University of Lisbon, Portugal
- Ian Pulford - Smart City Consultancy, United Kingdom
- Daniel Bargmann - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Mikkel Olsen - DTI, Denmark
- Peter So - Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Robert Süß-Wolf - ARENA2036
- Nicole Ebner - Head of Robotics/AI Incubator robo.innovate at MIRMI/TUM, Germany
- Simeon Tsvetanov - High Performance Creators, Bulgaria
- Jaime Martin Losa - eProsima, Spain
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Benchmarking and Competitions, Software Engineering, Industrial Robotics, Service Robotics, Systems Integration and Systems Engineering
Projects involved
euROBIN, https://www.eurobin-project.eu/, EU Grant No 101070596
Further information
https://www.eurobin-project.eu/
F. Bonsignorio and A. P. del Pobil, "Toward Replicable and Measurable Robotics Research [From the Guest Editors]," in IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 32-35, Sept. 2015, doi: 10.1109/MRA.2015.2452073.
keywords: {Special issues and sections;Benchmarking;Measurements;Robots},
F. Bonsignorio, "A New Kind of Article for Reproducible Research in Intelligent Robotics [From the Field]," in IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 178-182, Sept. 2017, doi: 10.1109/MRA.2017.2722918.
keywords: {Robot kinematics;Research and development;Artificial intelligence},
The Rimini Declaration:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i1kJrTM3RA4h-i7wor8ACiopaMAN7deS/view?usp=sharing
The Euron GEM Guidelines:
GemSigGuidelinesBeta.pdf https://heronrobots.com/EuronGEMSig/downloads/GemSigGuidelinesBeta.pdf
Organisers
- Fabio Bonsignorio (University of Zagreb FER and Heron Robots), fabio.bonsignorio@gmail.com fabio.bonsignorio@fer.hr fabio.bonsignorio@heronrobots.com
- Pedro U. Lima (ISR/IST, University of Lisbon), pedro.lima@tecnico.ulisboa.pt
- Daniel Bargmann (Fraunhofer IPA), daniel.bargmann@ipa.fraunhofer.de
- Peter So (TUM), peter.so@tum.de
- Mikkel Olsen (DTI), miol@teknologisk.dk
- Ian Pulford (Smart City Consultancy) ian.pulford@smccl.co.uk
WS#36 Healthcare Robotics in Germany: insights from deployment of assistive robots for transport and interaction
Françoise Siepel (University of Twente), Birgit Graf (Fraunhofer IPA),Maritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
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Questions to be answered
- How do we bridge the gap from development towards deployment in clinical settings?
- What are the key challenges the healthcare professional faces in implementing robotics in the healthcare setting? What would help increase acceptance?
- What role do we see assistive robots playing in healthcare over the next 10-20 years?
- What are the potential risks and benefits of leveraging generative AI to enhance robot decision-making and natural interactions in healthcare and assistive robotics?
Description
This workshop offers an essential platform for gaining deep insights into deployment of robotics in healthcare, directly from technology providers and healthcare professionals across Europe together with a future perspective. Attendees will benefit from knowledge exchange, focusing on key applications and overcoming barriers to robotic integration in healthcare. Critical aspects, such as European reimbursement models and the importance of networking for accelerating innovation, will be utilized.
Participants will gain:
- Future perspectives and practical insights into the deployment of robotics in healthcare
- Access to key success stories, showcasing how robotics improves care provision
- Opportunities for knowledge transfer, networking, and collaboration across Europe.
The main topics are:
- Clinical Deployment Insights: Experiences from practitioners across Europe.
- Knowledge Transfer: Exchange of expertise and best practices across regions.
- Key Application Aspects: Focus on real-world implementations.
- Barriers and Constraints: Challenges in robotics deployment in healthcare
- Success Stories: Case studies demonstrating successful robotics integration.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:10 Welcome & Introduction
- 16:10 - 16:20 Abilities of current products and possible fields of application (Alexander Pröll – Entrance Robotics GmbH, Germany)
- 16:20 - 16:40 Interaction robots for hospitals and care homes:
- Experience with the Social Robot 'navel' (Dr. Judith Schoch – Evangelische Heimstiftung, Germany)
- The Future of Social Robots (Thomas Wittenberg – Fraunhofer IIS, Germany)
- 16:40 - 17:00 Delivery robots for hospitals and care homes:
- Experience with a food delivery robot and future application concepts (Dr. Silja Tuschy & Thomas Schneider – University Hospital Bonn, Germany)
- The future of delivery robots – mobile manipulation as a key ability (Dr. Birgit Graf – Fraunhofer IPA, Germany)
- 17:00 - 17:20 Discussion
Intended outcome
The event will result in a comprehensive report, combining key insights and recommendations for future robotics applications. This report will be of critical relevance to technology providers, clinicians, policymakers, and other healthcare stakeholders, ensuring that the future of healthcare robotics is shaped by collaborative, and innovative approaches.
- End-Users: Gain a clearer understanding of the benefits and practical applications of robotics in healthcare, facilitating informed decision-making and technology adoption.
- SMEs: Identify market needs, explore collaboration opportunities, and access business growth insights based on real-world use cases.
- Researchers: Benefit from exposure to cutting-edge developments and direct feedback from healthcare professionals, opening new avenues for research and innovation.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers:
- Alexander Pröll — Entrance Robotics GmbH, Germany
- Dr. Judith Schoch — Evangelische Heimstiftung, Germany
- Thomas Wittenberg — Fraunhofer IIS, Germany
- Dr. Silja Tuschy, Thomas Schneider — University Hospital Bonn, Germany
- Dr. Birgit Graf — Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG Healthcare and DIH-HERO
Projects involved
Further information
Household and Assistive Robotics at Fraunhofer IPA
Organisers
- Françoise Siepel (University of Twente), f.j.siepel@utwente.nl
- Birgit Graf (Fraunhofer IPA), birgit.graf@ipa.fraunhofer.de
WS#39 Bringing Exoskeletons to Life in Europe: From Labs to Real-World Impact: part II
Dr. Shirley A. Elprama (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI), Dr. Tommaso Bagneschi (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), Dr. Andrea Calanca (University of Verona), Dr. Domenico Chiaradia (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), Dr. Cristian Camardella (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), Prof. An Jacobs (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI), Prof. Antonio Frisoli (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa)Room 22-24
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Questions to be answered
- What research is being done on occupational exoskeletons?
- What different types of exoskeletons are there?
- How does it feel to wear an exoskeleton?
- To which extent have exoskeletons been adopted?
- Which aspects are important to enhance acceptance of people to wear exoskeletons?
Description
This second workshop on exoskeletons focuses on how exoskeleton technologies developed by European research groups and companies are making an impact in the real world. It brings together experts and practitioners to discuss the transition from laboratory development to market adoption in the context of rehabilitation, assistance, and occupational exoskeletons. This workshop emphasizes (user-centered) design, control, and acceptance of exoskeletons.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:05 Introduction (Dr. Shirley A. Elprama - imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI, Belgium)
- 16:05 - 16:15 EMG-driven adaptive gravity compensation for upper-limb exoskeletons (Dr. Andrea Calanca - University of Verona, Italy)
- 16:15 - 16:25 Introducing SWAG: Pioneering Soft Exosuits for Human Empowerment (Dr. Patrick Holthaus - Robotics Research Group, University of Hertfordshire, UK)
- 16:25 - 16:35 Development of occupational exoskeletons (Dr. Christophe Maufroy - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany)
- 16:35 - 16:45 Towards acceptance in industry and healthcare: subjective evaluation of occupational exoskeletons (Dr. Shirley A. Elprama - imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI, Belgium)
- 16:45 - 17:15 Interactive demos of exoskeletons: Workshop participants will be able to try out different exoskeletons and ask questions to experts about these exoskeletons (all workshop participants)
- 17:15 - 17:20 Closing (Dr. Andrea Calanca - University of Verona, Italy)
Intended outcome
- Participants will gain insights into the current landscape of exoskeleton technology in Europe.
- Attendees will have the opportunity to try exoskeletons firsthand and understand the practical challenges and benefits of their usage.
- Establish a bridge between academic research, industrial needs, and potential users for increased technology adoption.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Dr. Andrea Calanca - University of Verona, Italy
- Dr. Patrick Holthaus - Robotics Research Group, University of Hertfordshire, UK
- Dr. Christophe Maufroy - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Dr. Shirley A. Elprama - imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI, Belgium
Demo
The final list of exoskeleton demos is still under construction but will include prototypes and commercially available exoskeletons of various EU countries including Italy and Germany.
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Not applicable.
Projects involved
- NRRP AVATAR
- SWAG Project
- SUPERHUMAN project
Further information
Not applicable.
Organisers
- Dr. Shirley A. Elprama (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI), shirley.elprama@vub.be
- Dr. Tommaso Bagneschi (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), tommaso.bagneschi@santannapisa.it
- Dr. Andrea Calanca (University of Verona), andrea.calanca@univr.it
- Dr. Domenico Chiaradia (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), domenico.chiaradia@santannapisa.it
- Dr. Cristian Camardella (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa), cristian.camardella@santannapisa.it
- Prof. An Jacobs (imec - SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI),
- Prof. Antonio Frisoli (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa)
WS#45 Remanufacturing and recycling: are robots the way to a sustainable future?
Dr. Tero Kaarlela (Centria University of Applied Sciences), Dr. Tomi Pitkäaho (Centria University of Applied Sciences), Dr. Alireza Rastegarpanah (The University of Birmingham), Dr. Enrico Villagrossi (Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, National Research Council of Italy), Dr. Esmaeil Najafi (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), , Dr. Iñaki Díaz (CEIT), , Agata Suwala (MTC), Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (Profactor Gmbh), Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Berkhan Bayraktar (Boğaziçi University, Research Assistant), Dr. Evren Samur (HKTM), Dr. Fotis Konstantinidis (ICCS), Konstantinos Kokkalis PhDc. (ICCS)Room 11-13
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Questions to be answered
- Is the current direction of robotic research the right way to improve the autonomy and flexibility required by the evaluation, disassembly, and sorting for recycling and remanufacturing?
- Open issues and current technological limits of robotized disassembly. What are the current challenges of robotics and automation hindering more effective and reliable robotic disassembly?
- Preview the latest innovations in the robotized disassembly/recycling of electric vehicle batteries, consumer electronics, metal industry, and ship recycling
Description
The growing emphasis on sustainability, and the increasing demand for recycling and remanufacturing, presents a critical opportunity for robotics to contribute to a more sustainable future. As automotive, electronics, and shipbuilding industries face rising pressures to reduce waste and conserve rare raw materials, robotized disassembly offers a promising solution. This workshop explores whether robots can pave the way to a sustainable future by improving the efficiency, precision, and safety of recycling processes.
Supported by insights from EU and national projects, such as REBELION, RECIRCULATE, BATTEREVERSE, REINFORCE, SHEREC (Ship Recycling), REEPRODUCE, DemoDataPRO, THESEUS, OPTIMINER, SOPRANO and AIPRISM this workshop aims to showcase the latest advancements in robotic disassembly, sorting and recycling. It delves into the open issues hindering wider adoption of robotic disassembly, evaluates whether current research is moving in the right direction, and discusses the latest developments relevant to the circular economy. Key questions addressed in this session will include the technological limits of current robotic systems and how AI and machine vision can overcome these barriers. We will showcase the latest advancements in robotic technologies, including innovations in the disassembly of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, electronics, and ship components, and discuss how AI tools, automation, and machine vision are driving these innovations. Despite these advancements, several technological challenges remain, particularly in ensuring the autonomy and flexibility of robots in disassembly tasks and adapting to the wide variability in end-of-life (EoL) products in the entire lifecycle.
By attending this workshop, participants will gain valuable insights into how robotic solutions can address the sustainability challenges in various sectors, focusing on rare earth elements (REEs), EV battery recycling, and ship disassembly. Participants will also be able to engage with experts from the aforementioned projects, gaining valuable insights into real-world case studies and innovative solutions.
Additionally, the workshop will provide a platform for networking with leading researchers and industrial partners and for discussing strategies to strengthen Europe's recycling and remanufacturing industry.
Topics are:
- AI tools are available for the robotized recycling process.
- Methods applied for the robotized recycling process. Applying the methods developed for battery disassembly to other recycled products. (Tero added these, feel free to modify)
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:05 Introduction: General advantages, the lookout on topic, opening and setting the scene (Agata Suwala - MTC, United Kingdom)
- 16:05 - 16:13 Impulse Talk: Electric vehicle battery recycling (e-devices) (Dr. Alireza Rastegarpanah - The University of Birmingham, United Kingdom)
- 16:13 - 16:21 Impulse Talk: Electronics and electrical recycling (Dr. Iñaki Díaz - CEIT, Spain)
- 16:21 - 16:29 Impulse Talk: Ship recycling (Berkhan Bayraktar - Boğaziçi University, Türkiye)
- 16:29 - 16:34 Impulse Talk: Application of machine vision for recycling (Dr. Esmaeil Najafi - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands)
- 16:34 - 16:42 Sum up the challenges and provide points of discussion for the interactive session
- 16:42 - 17:15 Group discussions: Identify key research questions and focus on key aspects in each sector
- 17:15 - 17:20 Wrap-up
Intended outcome
Key Research Priorities Identified: Participants will collectively define the top research challenges and technological gaps in robotic disassembly for recycling, particularly in the areas of EV batteries, electronics, and ship recycling. This will shape the future research agenda and collaborations in sustainable robotics.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Agata Suwala - MTC, United Kingdom
- Dr. Alireza Rastegarpanah - The University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Dr. Iñaki Díaz - CEIT, Spain
- Dr. Esmaeil Najafi - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands
- Berkhan Bayraktar - Boğaziçi University, Türkiye
- Dr. Enrico Villagrossi (Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, National Research Council of Italy)
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG Sustainability
Projects involved
REBELION (https://rebelion-project.eu/),
RECIRCULATE(https://recirculate.eu/),
BATTEREVERSE (https://www.battereverse.eu/),
REINFORCE (https://reinforceproject.eu/)
THESEUS(http://theseus-h4c.eu/)
OPTIMINER(https://www.optiminer-project.eu)
REEPRODUCE (https://www.reeproduce.eu/ ),
SHEREC ( HORIZON-IA, https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101136056 )
Demo Data PRO (national project)
AI PRISM (https://aiprism.eu/)
SOPRANO (https://www.soprano-project.org/)
Further information
Organisers
- Dr. Tero Kaarlela (Centria University of Applied Sciences),
- Dr. Tomi Pitkäaho (Centria University of Applied Sciences),
- Dr. Alireza Rastegarpanah (The University of Birmingham),
- Dr. Enrico Villagrossi (Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, National Research Council of Italy),
- Dr. Esmaeil Najafi (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), e.najafi@saxion.nl,
- Dr. Iñaki Díaz (CEIT), idiaz@ceit.es,
- Agata Suwala (MTC), agata.suwala@the-mtc.org
- Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (Profactor Gmbh), sharath.akkaladevi@profactor.at
- Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Franziska.Kirstein@gmail.com
- Berkhan Bayraktar (Boğaziçi University, Research Assistant), berkhan.bayraktar@bogazici.edu.tr
- Dr. Evren Samur (HKTM), evren.samur@hktm.com.tr
- Dr. Fotis Konstantinidis (ICCS), fotios.konstantinidis@iccs.gr
- Konstantinos Kokkalis PhDc. (ICCS) konstantinos.kokkalis@iccs.gr
WS#54 AI-Based Industrial Robotics: Challenges and Use Cases in the RoX-Ecosystem
Michael Suppa (Roboception GmbH), Benedikt Waibel (Würth) Tobias Reichl (Wacker Chemie) Florian Stuhlenmiller (ABB)Room 25-27
iCal
Questions to be answered
The workshop will introduce the RoX ecosystem, use cases and technological challenges with focus on perception and manipulation. The attendees will get a high-level overview on the ecosystem, challenges and use cases in presentations. The interaction with the speakers will be done online and in the panel. The outcome is an assessment of the current ecosystem approach and the current limitations and risks. End-users and SMEs will get an insight into how and when to use the technology.
Description
The digital transformation of industry requires innovative solutions that synergistically combine technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence and cloud computing. The RoX project addresses this challenge by developing a decentralized data and service ecosystem that enables the integration of AI into robotic systems and their efficient use in industrial applications. The workshop will give an overview on specific challenges that arise from the use cases and the integration in a robust data space that enables secure and efficient collaboration between all players in the robotics and automation sector. Exemplary use cases from the RoX ecosystem will be introduced.
A Slido interactive session will assess questions, user needs and expectations on the RoX ecosystem approach. A panel session with the speakers will elaborate in detail the use case requirements, common challenges and implementations with focus on their industrial applicability for integrators and end-users.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:05 Introduction and definition of key statements/questions (Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH & University of Bremen, Germany)
- 16:05 - 16:20 AI-based Perception and Manipulation in the RoX Ecosystem (Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH & University of Bremen, Germany)
- 16:20 - 16:35 Autonomous Truck-Loading (Benedikt Waibel - Würth, Germany)
- 16:35 - 16:50 GenAI for System Integration (Florian Stuhlenmiller - ABB, Germany)
- 16:50 - 17:15 Interactive poll session/round table discussion with the audience (Benedikt Waibel - Würth, Germany; Tobias Reichl - KUKA Robotics, Germany; Florian Stuhlenmiller - ABB, Germany)
- 17:15 - 17:20 Closing remarks and take-home messages
Intended outcome
The workshop will provide attendees with an in-depth understanding of AI-based robotics and its applicability in several use cases from the RoX project. The interactive session will foster collaboration and perspectives from technology provider to end-user.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH & University of Bremen, Germany
- Benedikt Waibel - Würth, Germany
- Florian Stuhlenmiller - ABB, Germany
Moderator
- Michael Suppa - Roboception GmbH & University of Bremen, Germany
Panellists
- Benedikt Waibel - Würth, Germany
- Tobias Reichl - KUKA Robotics, Germany
- Florian Stuhlenmiller - ABB, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
RoX: https://www.project-rox.ai/
Further information
Organisers
- Michael Suppa (Roboception GmbH), michael.suppa@roboception.de
- Benedikt Waibel (Würth)
- Tobias Reichl (Wacker Chemie)
- Florian Stuhlenmiller (ABB)
WS#59 How can European regions stimulate innovations in robotics?
Iddo Bante (University of Twente)Silchersaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
Goal of the workshop is to inspire, discuss and deepen joint understanding of innovation strategies: knowledge exchange and insights in how regional and national innovation instruments & strategies can stimulate innovation with and uptake of robotics technology.
Description
This workshop explores how regional innovation initiatives drive the adoption of robotics technologies across Europe. It brings together experts to discuss successful approaches, key enablers, and stakeholder roles in fostering innovation. The session highlights best practices from leading regions and initiatives, emphasizing impact, scalability, and cross-sector applications.
Organisation of the WS
The workshop will start with 5 short pitches (5 minutes each, that means 25-30 min in total), followed by interactive discussions with participation of all attendees about the lessons learned, best practices, take-away messages.
16:00 - 16:05 Opening and welcome: Iddo Bante, University of Twente, Netherlands
16:05 - 16:35 Short pitches on inspiring successful regional innovation approaches stimulating robotics technology uptake:
- UK’s new R&D funding agency ARIA Smart Robot Bodies program: Jenny Read, Gudipati, ARIA, UK
- Odense Robotics Region: Morten Berenth Nielsen, SDU, Denmark
- Twente Robotics: Iddo Bante, University of Twente, Netherlands
- RoX Digital Ecosystem for AI-based robotics: Felix Spenrath, Fraunhofer, Germany
- Robotics Institute Germany (RIG), Tamim Asfour, IAR
- DIH4CAT: Managing Robotics Innovation in the region Barcelona: Daniel Serrano, Eurocat, Spain
16:35 - 17:15 Panel session (all presenters; moderator Radhika Gudipati) with audience involvement to discuss:
- What makes these examples successful?
- Crucial tools, instruments, and methodologies driving regional innovation in robotics (e.g. test facilities, access2funding)
- The roles of regional and national stakeholders
- Different needs/approaches per application domain (e.g. healthcare, agrifood, manufacturing)
- Formulation of take-away messages
17:15-17:20: Closing: Iddo Bante
Intended outcome
Better understanding of the Inspiring examples how to improve the robotics innovation processes in your own region.
Results of the Workshop will be used as input for Task 4.4 of the European ADRA-e CSA project.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Iddo Bante - University of Twente, Netherlands
- Radhika Gudipati - ARIA, UK
- Jenny Read - ARIA, UK
- Morten Berenth Nielsen - SDU, Denmark
- Daniel Lopez - Eurocat, Spain
- Richard Bormann - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Tamim Asfour - IAR
- Felix Spenrath - Fraunhofer, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
This topic has links to multiple euRobotics Topic Groups / Innovation Networks, e.g. TG Entrepreneurship. There are also clear links with the Adra Topic Group Innovation, Uptake and Deployment of AI-Data-Robotics.
Projects involved
CSA Adra-e, EDIH DIH4CAT, EDIH BOOST Robotics
Further information
Organisers
- Iddo Bante (University of Twente) I.Bante@utwente.nl
WS#8 Pushing the limits of robotics for sustainable use of space
Miguel A. Olivares Mendez (University of Luxembourg), Carlos J.Pérez-del-Pulgar (University of Malaga), Amit Kumar Pandey (Rovial Space), Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics),Room 20
iCal
Questions to be answered
- Innovation: What are the current challenges in Space Robotics? Which initiatives and efforts are ongoing or should be initiated to overcome challenges? How can Space Robotics support use cases related to sustainability and planetary exploration? Which SDGs relate to sustainability in Space Robotics?
- Community: How could I get information about funding sources for Space Robotics? Where could I meet with organizations with an interest in Space Robotics? How could I participate in different activities related to Space Robotics?
Description
The field of robotics for space applications is rapidly advancing. Beyond planetary exploration, in-orbit services facilitated by robotics are gaining significant momentum. These services encompass a range of critical activities, including assembly, maintenance, and manufacturing in space. To maintain and enhance its innovation leadership and strategic advantages, Europe must take the lead in orbital robotics. This workshop aims to lay the groundwork for identifying and prioritizing the necessary initiatives and efforts in this domain. Special focus will be put on how Space Robotics can support use cases related to space exploration and sustainability (e.g. power generation, debris handling, …). By involving diverse stakeholders and fostering a collaborative ecosystem, we seek to advance innovation and cultivate a thriving market for in-orbit robotic services, to shape the future of space robotics and ensure Europe's prominent role in this transformative field.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:10 Introduction to workshop and topic, update by the Topic Groups
- 16:10 - 16:20 Interactive poll
- 16:20 - 16:50 Impulse talks, preliminary areas:
- Collaboration between Academia, SMEs and big companies in space (robotics)
- Application areas/tech transfer/advancements
- Multi robots
- Teleoperation
- In-orbit services (assembly, maintenance, …)
- Sustainability
- 16:50 - 17:15 Panel discussion with focus on research and market questions (15 min community, 15 min innovation)
- 17:15 - 17:20 Wrap up and closing
Intended outcome
The workshop aims to connect leading experts, innovators, and stakeholders in
the field of space robotics. The audience will be updated about Topic Groups activities, and funding opportunities and gain knowledge of the latest advancements and emerging trends. The workshop will discuss key needs for in-orbit robotics and the use cases to solve future challenges connected to space exploration and sustainability. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to engage in defining future roadmaps related to Space Robotics and shaping a collaborative ecosystem for advancing innovation and market growth in the domain.
Insights into priority research areas and EC calls as well as networking among participants will drive collaborative projects to push for scientific and technological progress.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Moderators
- Miguel A. Olivares-Mendez - University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Carlos J. Pérez-del-Pulgar - University of Malaga, Spain
- Amit Kumar Pandey - Rovial Space, France
- Franziska Kirstein - Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- TG Space Robotics
- TG Robotics for Sustainability
- TG Socially Intelligent Robots and Societal Applications
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- Miguel A. Olivares Mendez (University of Luxembourg), miguel.olivaresmendez@uni.lu
- Carlos J.Pérez-del-Pulgar (University of Malaga), carlosperez@uma.es
- Amit Kumar Pandey (Rovial Space), amit@rovial.space
- Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Franziska.Kirstein@gmail.com
WS#92 B2B Matchmaking
EENOpen Areas on level 3 and 4
iCal
Questions to be answered
tbd
Description
See: https://eurobotics-forum-2025.b2match.io
Organisation of the WS
Intended outcome
B2B matchmaking
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- EEN
17:30 - 18:45 End of day gap and charity run
No workshops in this session.
18:45 - 20:30 Evening Day 1 - Welcome reception
No workshops in this session.
Wednesday 26 Mar 2025
08:30 - 09:50 Sessions Morning Day 2 -slot 1
WS#2 Standardisation, Legislation, Regulation, Vehicles, Drones
Abeje Yenehun Mersha (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), , website: saxion.nl/smart Carlos Rizzo (EURECAT), , website: https://eurecat.orgRoom 25-27
iCal
Questions to be answered
How can the challenges, successes, and opportunities encountered by developers, users, and accreditors of drones and self-driving vehicles in both EU and non-EU countries guide the effective standardization of legal, regulatory, and technological frameworks?
Description
This workshop's main objective is to explore how to standardize legal, regulatory, and technological pathways for autonomous vehicles and drones, while enhancing cross-fertilization between these two modalities. By addressing shared challenges—such as safety, public acceptance, and regulatory alignment—and examining unique solutions in each domain, participants will discover how innovations in one field can inspire advancements in the other.
Success stories will demonstrate how collaboration, policy frameworks, and technological breakthroughs have driven progress in both sectors. Insights from new EU policies will highlight opportunities for harmonizing regulations and accelerating innovation on a global scale.
This workshop offers a platform to learn from the challenges, successes, and strategies of developers, users, and accreditors in both fields, creating a space for knowledge exchange and synergy.
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:40 Introduction: Outlining workshop objectives and the importance of leveraging synergies between drones and autonomous vehicles in addressing societal challenges
- 08:40 - 09:20 Presentations on critical topics, including common challenges in policy frameworks, successful case studies, cross-modal success stories, and navigating EU/global regulatory and legal landscapes (interactive with Q&A and live polls)
- 09:20 - 09:40 Panel discussion on Future Opportunities—Sustainability and Beyond: Exploring emerging trends, ethical aspects, and technology pathways for autonomous vehicles/drones
- 09:40 - 09:50 Wrap-up: Summarizing key insights, identifying actionable next steps, and setting the stage for future collaboration
Intended outcome
The workshop aims to identify actionable insights and strategies for standardizing legal, regulatory, and technological frameworks for autonomous vehicles and drones, facilitating cross-modal innovation and collaboration.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Benjamin van Manen - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands
- Daniel Castillo - BCN Drone Center / CATUAV, Spain
- Vassilis Agouridas - UIC2 & IDI Platform, ERTICO - ITS Europe, Belgium
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Autonomous Navigation (https://eu-robotics.net/autonomous-navigation-topic-group/), Aerostream (https://aerostream.fer.hr/)
Projects involved
- Horizon Europe Aerostream (https://aerostream.fer.hr/)
Further information
Organisers
- Abeje Yenehun Mersha (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), a.y.mersha@saxion.nl, website: saxion.nl/smart
- Carlos Rizzo (EURECAT), carlos.rizzo@eurecat.org, website: https://eurecat.org
WS#22 Georges Giralt PhD Award 2025 finalists presentations
Gianluca Antonelli (University of Cassino and Southern Lazio)Silchersaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
Who will be the 2025 winner of the euRobotics George Giralt PhD award?
Description
The finalists will present their PhD thesis work.
Organisation of the WS
- Presentation by the award’s chair (10 minutes)
- Presentations of the finalists
Intended outcome
Stay up to date on theses that were deemed worthy of making it to the finals
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Finalists, i.e., freshly PhD
More information on the award committee on the website
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
All TG
Projects involved
none
Further information
https://eu-robotics.net/awards/#phd-award
Organisers
- Gianluca Antonelli (University of Cassino and Southern Lazio)
WS#27 Challenging Robotics/AI Use Cases by End-Users
Ramez Awad (Fraunhofer IPA), Dr. Björn Kahl (Fraunhofer IPA), Dr. Fotios Konstantinidis (ICCS), Konstantinos Kokkalis (ICCS)Room 11-13
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Questions to be answered
- What high-potential use cases / applications are not yet automated?
- What unsolved robotic/AI challenges are hindering the automation of those use cases applications?
- Which companies/end users are interested in the automation of those use cases?
Description
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 – 08:34: Introduction & and short straw poll to elicit more information about participants
- 08:34 – 08:46: Automated Robotic Disassembly of Electric Vehicle Batteries for Recycling (Dr. Raphael Rätz, Robotics Scientist, Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne, Switzerland)
- 08:46 – 08:58: Collaborative WEEE (PCs and other electronic equipment) and Batteries Repair and/or EoL management (Santiago Grandal, R&D Business Development Team Leader, AIMEN, Spain)
- 08:58 – 09:10: AI and Robotics for hydrogen distribution (Prof. Saverio De Vito, ENEA, Italy)
- 09:10 – 09:22: Pioneering Sustainable CRM Recovery in European Mining using Robotics solutions (Dr. Fotios K. Konstantinidis, Industry 5.0 & Smart Manufacturing Division leader of ICCS, Greece)
- 09:22 – 09:34: Light-Field Technology – Game-Changer for Automation (Michael Kunze, CEO MKey Solution GmbH, Germany)
- 09:34 – 09:46: Social Robots and End User Expectations: the Challenges and Opportunities (Dr. Amit Kumar Pandey, CTO Rovial Space, France)
- 09:46 – 09:50: Straw poll: How to elicit use cases from end users
Intended outcome
- List of challenging high-potential use cases by end-users
- Identified clusters of common robotic and AI challenges
- For ERF2026/2027: Feedback from end-users whether challenges have been solved
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Dr. Raphael Rätz, Robotics Scientist, Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.
- Santiago Grandal, R&D Business Development Team Leader, AIMEN, Spain
- Prof. Saverio De Vito, ENEA, Italy.
- Dr. Fotios K. Konstantinidis, Industry 5.0 & Smart Manufacturing Division leader of ICCS, Greece
- Michael Kunze, CEO MKey Solution GmbH, Germany
- Dr. Amit Kumar Pandey, CTO Rovial Space, France.
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- Not applicable
Projects involved
- AI-Matters (http://www.ai-matters.eu)
- W2W (https://www.wood2wood-project.eu/)
- Diginitrace (https://www.digintrace.eu/)
- RECLAIM (https://reclaim-box.eu/ )
- Theseus (Start Dec-2024)
- Optiminer (Start Jan-2025)
Further information
- Not applicable
Organisers
- Ramez Awad (Fraunhofer IPA), ramez.awad@ipa.fraunhofer.de
- Dr. Björn Kahl (Fraunhofer IPA), bjoern.kahl@ipa.fraunhofer.de
- Dr. Fotios Konstantinidis (ICCS), fotios.konstantinidis@iccs.gr
- Konstantinos Kokkalis (ICCS) konstantinos.kokkalis@iccs.gr
WS#49 Next-Gen Software Systems Engineering for Robotics and Automation: Towards future proof architectures, platforms, tools
Christian Schlegel (Technische Hochschule Ulm), Julian Öltjen (voraus robotik GmbH), Arne Nordmann (NEURA Robotics GmbH)Room 14-16
iCal
Questions to be answered
- What’s next in software systems engineering for robotics?
- What’s next in software-driven automation?
- What are opportunities in robotics and automation of generative AI for tools for development, configuration and deployment?
- What are challenges and needs foremost from users and what are priorities?
Description
- Elaborate latest trends in software-driven automation and delve into the cutting edge of software engineering for robotics
- Explore the latest trends and discuss the next steps including the opportunities of generative AI for next-gen development, configuration and deployment tools and platforms for robotics and automation
- Keynote talk by Geoffrey Biggs and insights and case studies from “voraus robotik GmbH”
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:35 Welcome
- 08:35 - 09:00 Invited Keynote Talk: Evolutionary changes in ROS 2 through 9 years of design and use (Geoffrey Biggs - Open Robotics, USA)
- 09:00 - 09:30 Building next-generation automation and robotics platforms: Insights and use-cases (Julian Öltjen - voraus robotik GmbH, Germany)
- 09:30 - 09:50 Interactive Moderated Mentimeter Session: Needs, Challenges, Priorities in S/W Systems Engineering
Intended outcome
- Achieve a better mutual understanding and sustainable networking between stakeholders interested in all aspects of software systems engineering (academia, industry, novice, experienced, from different domains, different TGs, from robotics, software, automation) to foster follow-up activities
- Increase awareness that the TG serves as THE meeting place for the community, its experts and for actively shaping and moderating and discussing conceptual and technical issues
- Get insights into use-case demands
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Geoffrey Biggs - Open Robotics, US
- Julian Öltjen - voraus robotik GmbH, Germany
Moderators
- Christian Schlegel - Technische Hochschule Ulm, Germany
- Julian Öltjen - voraus robotik GmbH, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- Topic Group Software Engineering, Systems Integration and Systems Engineering
Projects involved
- none
Further information
Organisers
- Christian Schlegel (Technische Hochschule Ulm), christian.schlegel@thu.de
- Julian Öltjen (voraus robotik GmbH), julian.oeltjen@vorausrobotik.com
- Arne Nordmann (NEURA Robotics GmbH)
WS#87 Scientific Track Robotics II
Fraunhofer IPA, ISW University of StuttgartMaritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
iCal
Questions to be answered
Oral presentation of papers in the field of robotics.
Description
See below
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:45 A Blimp-based Robot That Moves Under the Ceiling (Marcus Baum - University of Goettingen, Germany)
- 08:45 - 09:00 Elasto-Kinematic Calibration of the Lunar Rover Mini 6 DOF Robotic Arm (Marco Conenna, Jian Guo - TU Delft, the Netherlands; Armin Wedler - German Aerospace Center, Germany)
- 09:00 - 09:15 Automotive Wire Harness Connector Installation Using Skill-Based Robotic Programming (Andreas Kernbach, Manuel Zürn, Alper Yaman, Mara Kläb, Lukas Zeh, Armin Lechler, Alexander Verl - University of Stuttgart, Germany; Daniel Bargmann, Marco Huber, Werner Kraus - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany; Carsten Schmerback, Michael Heizmann - KIT, Germany; Philipp Tenbrock - gridX, Germany; Samiha Durnagoez, Mathias Mayer - Audi AG, Germany)
- 09:15 - 09:30 SketchGuide: A Baseline Vision-Based Model for Rapid Robot Programming via Freehand Sketching on Any Surface (Christoph Heindl - Profactor GmbH & JKU, Germany; Gerhard Ebenhofer - Profactor GmbH, Germany)
- 09:30 - 09:45 Performance Analysis of a Mass-Spring-Damper Deformable Linear Object Model in Robotic Simulation Frameworks (Andrea Govoni, Nadia Zubair, Simone Soprani, Gianluca Palli - University of Bologna, Italy)
Intended outcome
To update the community about recent developments
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Marcus Baum - University of Goettingen, Germany
- Marco Conenna - TU Delft, Netherlands
- Jian Guo - TU Delft, Netherlands
- Armin Wedler - German Aerospace Center, Germany
- Andreas Kernbach - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Daniel Bargmann - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Manuel Zürn - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Carsten Schmerback - KIT, Germany
- Alper Yaman - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Mara Kläb - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Lukas Zeh - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Philipp Tenbrock - gridX, Germany
- Samiha Durnagoez - Audi AG, Germany
- Mathias Mayer - Audi AG, Germany
- Michael Heizmann - KIT, Germany
- Armin Lechler - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Alexander Verl - University of Stuttgart, Germany
- Marco Huber - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Werner Kraus - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Christoph Heindl - PROFACTOR/JKU, Germany
- Gerhard Ebenhofer - Profactor GmbH, Germany
- Andrea Govoni - University of Bologna, Italy
- Nadia Zubair - University of Bologna, Italy
- Simone Soprani - University of Bologna, Italy
- Gianluca Palli - University of Bologna, Italy
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- Fraunhofer IPA,
- ISW University of Stuttgart
10:00 - 10:30 Keynote Day 2
WS#82 ERF 2025 Keynote 2 - Dieter Fox (Nvidia)
euRobotics, Fraunhofer IPA and partnersHegelsaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
Description
See: http://erf2025.eu/keynote-speakers/
Organisation of the WS
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Dieter Fox - Robotics Research, NVIDIA
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- euRobotics,
- Fraunhofer IPA and partners
10:30 - 11:10 Coffee Break
No workshops in this session.
11:10 - 12:30 Sessions Morning Day 2 -slot 2
WS#10 12th Hybrid Production Systems Workshop - Entering the AI era in flexible production
Sotiris Makris (Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems and Automation (LMS)), George Michalos (Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems and Automation (LMS)), Inaki Maurtua (Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Unit - Tekniker)Room 11-13
iCal
Questions to be answered
As in the past years the workshop aims to:
- Introduce latest projects-technologies in the area of HPS including but not limited to robotics, AI, humans, human-robot collaboration/ interaction and flexible production processes
- Explore new research areas and map them to existing industrial applications benefiting from the covered technological fields
- Gather distinguished speakers from industry and academia to share their visions and experiences highlighting the latest trends and challenges
Description
The topics to be addressed in the keynote speeches, presentation pitches and panel discussion will revolve around:
- R&D Trends for Robotics and AI
- Open world reasoning and Generative AI for robot Cognition in Human Robot Collaborative Applications
- Perception and simulation as cognitive capability for versatile handling of products
- Safe and Adaptable behaviour for flexible cognitive manufacturing in hybrid workplaces
- Human safety and novel methods for HRC in industrial settings
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:15 Introduction of Workshop and recap of HPS activities (George Michalos - LMS, Greece)
- 11:15 - 11:25 Keynote 1: Research for Innovation at KUKA: Exploring Low TRL Projects and Future Directions in Robotics (Kirill Safronov & Volker Schmirgel - KUKA, Germany)
- 11:25 - 11:30 Pitch 1: Advancing robot cognition and capabilities using GenAI (Nikos Dimitropoulos - LMS, Greece)
- 11:30 - 11:35 Pitch 2: Towards Zero Programming: Watch & Work Robots Leveraging Conversational Interaction and XR (Urko Esnaola - TECNALIA, Spain)
- 11:35 - 11:40 Pitch 3: Open-World Reasoning for Human-Robot Collaboration in Remanufacturing (Christos Gkournelos - LMS, Greece)
- 11:40 - 11:50 Keynote 2: AI and cobots: shaping the future of Human robot collaboration (Alfio Minissale - COMAU, Italy)
- 11:50 - 11:55 Pitch 4: Virtual to Reality: Simulation-Driven Perception and Grasping for Robots (Inaki Maurtua - TEKNIKER, Spain)
- 11:55 - 12:00 Pitch 5: Human role in AI-powered flexible cognitive manufacturing: challenges and opportunities (Nabil Belbachir - NORCE, Norway)
- 12:00 - 12:05 Pitch 6: AI challenges in Safe Human-Robot Collaboration in industrial settings (Nicola Pedrochi - STIMA - CNR, Italy)
- 12:05 - 12:30 Round Table, Engagement with the Audience, Conclusion of Sub-session 2
Intended outcome
Speakers attending the HPS workshop will experience it as follows:
- We identified several companies currently investing or investigating HPS to achieve flexible production
- We witnessed demonstrations of robotics, mechatronics, AI etc. solutions working together with humans in several sectors.
- We now understand why it is challenging to deploy such systems and what needs to be done in the coming years
- We know who to contact in order to further collaborate and contribute in the development of AI enabled HPS systems
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Nikos Dimitropoulos – LMS, Greece
- Christos Gkournelos – LMS, Greece
- Alfio Minissale – COMAU, Italy
- Kirill Safronov – KUKA, Germany
- Urko Esnaola – TECNALIA, Spain
- Nabil Belbachir – NORCE, Norway
- Nicola Pedrochi – STIMA - CNR, Italy
Moderators
- Sotiris Makris – LMS, Greece
- George Michalos – LMS, Greece
- Inaki Maurtua – TEKNIKER, Spain
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
HPS projects cluster - www.hybrid-production-systems.eu/
AI in Manufacturing, Testing and Experimentation Facilities Network for European industries (AI-Matters) - AI Matters : AI in Manufacturing for EU industries
Projects involved
Tentative list (to be confirmed)
- CONVERGING - https://www.converging-project.eu/
- COGNIMAN - https://cogniman.eu/
- JARVIS - https://www.jarvis-project.eu/
- RENEE - https://renee-project.eu
Further information
Previous workshops:
- ERF2014 - Hybrid Production Systems: http://www.eu-robotics.net/cms/upload/euRobotics_Forum/ERF2014_presentations/day_3/TP-01_ERF2014_Hybrid_Production_Systems_2014-03-14.v.1.02.pdf
- ERF2015 - Hybrid Production Systems: http://www.erf2015.eu/presentations/HybridProduction.zip
- ERF2016 - Hybrid Production Systems: http://www.project-leanautomation.eu/index.php?id=96&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=94&cHash=634a5aa83a6f2451305f39ed13e8368f
- ERF 2017 – Hybrid Production Systems: https://sites.google.com/view/hybridproductionsystems/erf2017?authuser=0
- ERF 2018 – Hybrid Production Systems: https://sites.google.com/view/hybridproductionsystems
- ERF 2019 – Hybrid Production Systems: https://sites.google.com/view/hybridproductionsystems/erf2019?authuser=0
- ERF 2020 – Hybrid Production Systems: https://sites.google.com/view/hybridproductionsystems/erf2020?authuser=0
- ERF 2021 – Hybrid Production Systems:
https://sites.google.com/view/hybridproductionsystems/erf2021?authuser=0
- ERF 2022 – Hybrid Production Systems:
https://www.hybrid-production-systems.eu/?page_id=257
- ERF 2023 – Hybrid Production Systems:
https://hybrid-production-systems.eu/erf-2023/
- ERF 2024 – Hybrid Production Systems:
https://hybrid-production-systems.eu/erf-2024/
Publications workshops:
- Artificial intelligence in manufacturing (White Paper by AIM-NET): link
- Aristeidou, C., Dimitropoulos, N., Michalos, G., (2024) Generative AI and neural networks towards advanced robot cognition, CIRP Annals, ISSN 0007-8506, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2024.04.013
- Papadopoulos, G., Dimosthenopoulos, D., Basamakis, F., Michalos, G., Andronas, D., Makris, S., (2024), On intelligent object sorting and assembly: versatile end-effector for robotized handling of electrical components, Procedia CIRP, 128, 363-368. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2024.07.051
- Konstantinou, C., Antonarakos, D., Angelakis, P., Gkournelos, C., Michalos, G., Makris, S., (2024) Leveraging Generative AI Prompt Programming for Human-Robot Collaborative Assembly, Procedia CIRP, 128, 621-626. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2024.03.040
- Papadopoulos, G., Andronas, D., Kaliakatsos-Georgopoulos, D., Kampourakis, E., Kavvathas, K., Theodoropoulos N., Aivaliotis, P., Michalos, G., Makris, S., (2024). Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems through Intelligent Workpiece Handling and Artificial Intelligence, Procedia CIRP, 128, 793-798. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2024.07.064
- Dimitropoulos, N., Papalexis, P., Michalos, G., Makris, S. (2024). Advancing Human-Robot Interaction Using AI – A Large Language Model (LLM) Approach. In Advances in Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing. ESAIM 2023. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-57496-2_12
- Dimitropoulos, N., Togias, T., Zacharaki, N., Michalos, G., & Makris, S. (2021). Seamless Human–Robot Collaborative Assembly Using Artificial Intelligence and Wearable Devices. Applied Sciences, 11(12), 5699. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125699
- Dimitropoulos, N., Michalos, G., Arkouli, Z., Kokotinis, G.,Makris, S., (2024) Industrial collaborative environments integrating AI, Big Data and Robotics for smart manufacturing, Procedia CIRP, 128, 858-863. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2024.04.027
- Dimitropoulos, N., Papalexis, P., Michalos, G., Makris, S. (2024). Advancing Human-Robot Interaction Using AI – A Large Language Model (LLM) Approach. In Advances in Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing. ESAIM 2023. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-57496-2_12
- Katsampiris-Salgado, K., Dimitropoulos, N., Gkrizis, C., Michalos, G., Makris, S., (2024) Advancing human-robot collaboration: Predicting operator trajectories through AI and infrared imaging, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 74, 2024, pp 980-994, ISSN 0278-6125, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmsy.2024.05.015
- Kousi, N., Dimosthenopoulos, D., Matthaiakis, A.-S., Michalos, G., & Makris, S. (2019). AI based combined scheduling and motion planning in flexible robotic assembly lines. 7th CIRP Global Web Conference – Towards Shifted Production Value Stream Patterns through Inference of Data, Models, and Technology (CIRPe 2019) - Procedia CIRP, 86, 74–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2020.01.041
Organisers
- Sotiris Makris (Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems and Automation (LMS)), makris@lms.mech.upatras.gr
- George Michalos (Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems and Automation (LMS)), michalos@lms.mech.upatras.gr
- Inaki Maurtua (Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Unit - Tekniker) inaki.maurtua@tekniker.es
WS#11 Mobile Manipulation of rigid and deformable objects: Community Challenges and Opportunities
Marco Rosa (PAL Robotics), Ashok Meenakshi Sundaram (DLR), Florian Pokorny (KTH)Room 22-24
iCal
Questions to be answered
- How will mobile manipulation impact real-world applications and benefit society? Providing specific examples or case studies from healthcare, agriculture, logistics, or manufacturing to illustrate the tangible impacts of MoMa technologies.
- What are the most promising advancements or breakthroughs in mobile manipulation, and what challenges still need solutions? Highlight some of the most exciting recent developments — such as advancements in perception and dexterous manipulation of diverse object types (known/unknown, rigid/deformable), or innovative machine learning applications.
- How can professionals and researchers from different backgrounds get involved or benefit from this field? How the exploitation of synergies across like-minded projects like the ones present in this WS can help R&I in the MoMa field?
Description
This workshop examines the evolving field of mobile manipulation (MoMa), a pivotal domain within robotics with applications spanning healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and manufacturing. Addressing the unique challenges of manipulating both rigid and deformable objects, MoMa demands advanced mobility and manipulation capabilities, which enable its critical role in diverse, strategically essential sectors across Europe.
MoMa technologies have advanced significantly, with robots increasingly able to perform complex tasks that require fine-grained manipulation and real-time adaptability. However, the field still faces limitations, especially in reliably handling diverse objects and environments, and in maintaining stability and precision across dynamic settings. Although recent advancements have shown promising improvements in machine learning, perception, and grasping technologies, achieving a high level of robustness, safety, and adaptability across varying tasks remains a central challenge. For instance, handling unknown or deformable objects in realistic settings outside laboratories is still an open problem. Also, developing and deploying transferable MoMa solutions applicable for multiple environmental settings or industries is crucial. Collaborative efforts across academia, industry, and public sectors are critical to accelerating these developments.
This workshop will present an in-depth examination of the current state of MoMa. It will focus on key technical and societal challenges, such as perception and handling of diverse objects, adapting to complex dynamics, and advancing human-robot interaction (HRI). It will do so by bringing to the table the perspectives and recent developments of MoMa centred Horizon Europe projects including PILLAR-Robots, AGIMUS, REGO, IntelliMan, CONVINCE, SestoSenso and SoftEnable, which will share strategic insights, highlighting community-driven solutions and future opportunities for advancing MoMa capabilities.
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:15 Welcome & Introduction: Outline of workshop objectives and the concept of mobile manipulation (MoMa) across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and logistics (Marco Rosa – PAL Robotics, Spain; Ashok Meenakshi Sundaram – DLR, Germany; Florian Pokorny – KTH, Sweden)
- 11:15 - 11:45 Project Spotlights: Exploring the Latest in Mobile Manipulation (Richard Duro - PILLAR-Robots, Spain; Nicolas Mansard - AGIMUS, France; Gianluca Palli - IntelliMan, Italy; Claudio Pacchierotti - REGO, France; Lorenzo Natale - CONVINCE, Italy; Florian Pokorny - SoftEnable, Sweden; Giorgio Cannata - SestoSenso, Italy)
- 11:45 - 12:30 Panel Discussion, Q&A & Audience Engagement: Discussion on Mobile Manipulation—Expectations vs. Reality and Market Trends & Future Opportunities (Francesco Ferro - PAL Robotics, Barcelona; Enrico Mingo - INRIA / euROBIN, France; Stephane Doncieux - Sorbonne University & PILLAR-Robots, France; Maximo Roa - DLR, Germany; Radhika Gudipati - ARIA, United Kingdom)
Intended outcome
Enhanced Understanding of Current Mobile Manipulation Advances and Challenges
Attendees will gain a well-rounded understanding of the latest innovations, real-world applications, and ongoing limitations in mobile manipulation. With insights from multiple projects and experts, participants will leave with a clearer picture of the field's current landscape and the technical hurdles yet to be overcome.
Identification of Collaborative Opportunities and Potential Partnerships
The interactive nature of the workshop, along with exposure to multiple Horizon Europe projects, can foster networking and collaboration among participants from different backgrounds. This can lead to future partnerships across academia, industry, and public sectors, helping drive forward specific research initiatives or pilot applications.
Strategic Insights for Aligning with Market Trends and Future Opportunities
Through discussions on market expectations and the gap between current capabilities and industry needs, attendees will gain valuable insights on where the field is headed and how to align their research or business strategies. This can help guide project directions, investment considerations, and future R&D initiatives aligned with evolving market demands.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Richard Duro – PILLAR-Robots, Spain
- Nicolas Mansard – AGIMUS, France
- Gianluca Palli – IntelliMan, Italy
- Claudio Pacchierotti – REGO, France
- Lorenzo Natale – CONVINCE, Italy
- Florian Pokorny – SoftEnable, Sweden
- Giorgio Cannata – SestoSenso, Italy
Panellists
- Francesco Ferro – PAL Robotics, Spain
- Enrico Mingo – INRIA & euROBIN, France
- Stephane Doncieux – Sorbonne University & PILLAR-Robots, France
- Maximo Roa – DLR, Germany
- Radhika Gudipati – ARIA, United Kingdom
Moderators
- Marco Rosa – PAL Robotics, Spain
- Ashok Meenakshi Sundaram – DLR, Germany
- Florian Pokorny – KTH, Sweden
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
-
Projects involved
- REGO https://rego-project.eu/
- IntelliMan https://intelliman-project.eu/
- Agimus https://www.agimus-project.eu/
- CONVINCE https://convince-project.eu/
- PILLAR-Robots https://pillar-robots.eu/
- SoftEnable https://softenable.eu/
- SestoSenso http://sestosenso.eu/
Further information
-
Organisers
- Marco Rosa (PAL Robotics), marco.rosa@pal-robotics.com
- Ashok Meenakshi Sundaram (DLR), Ashok.MeenakshiSundaram@dlr.de
- Florian Pokorny (KTH) fpokorny@kth.se
WS#13 Industrial Robotics Safety: Challenges, Methods, and Strategies
Magnus Albert (SICK AG), Michael Rathmair (Joanneum Research), Ulrich Kirchmaier (Elektrobit Automotive GmbH)Room 25-27
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Questions to be answered
Novel technologies enable innovation in industrial robotics. However, these innovations will only be accepted, if they prove to be safe. Continuing the series of successful workshops at the past editions of the euRobotics Forum, we will present and discuss new methodologies and approaches to guarantee the health and wellbeing of the users - also beyond the well known state of the art. This year’s workshop will focus along the following guiding questions:
- Can innovation in robotics be facilitated by adopting automotive grade ready-to-use solutions and technologies?
- Is it possible to assess the safety of a robot in a given context at runtime and what would be appropriate methods and models?
- What are the trends in robot safety research, and what challenges arise in transferring these findings to industrial applications?
Description
The workshop brings together safety experts along the whole life-cycle of robotics. Following up on our previous workshops we would like to continue our joint efforts to enable innovations by novel methods and technologies ensuring the safety of robotics systems. This year’s workshop will focus on dynamic aspects at runtime and will focus on three main aspects: Can dynamic high-level robot control be facilitated by incorporating functional safe operating systems developed for automotive use cases? Which novel functionality may be part of dynamic risk-reduction measures at runtime? How can flexibility and adaptability of robotics systems benefit from verification at runtime?
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:15 Introduction: Brief introduction outlining workshop objectives and overview of Hybrid Production Systems
- 11:15 - 11:30 Impulse Talk 1: Functional Safe Robotic Operations (Ulrich Kirchmaier - Elektrobit Automotive GmbH, Germany)
- 11:30 - 11:45 Impulse Talk 2: Key practical challenges in assessing functional safety at run-time (Federico Vicentini - Boston Dynamics, USA)
- 11:45 - 12:00 Impulse Talk 3: Runtime Verification to Enhance Safety in flexible Robot Applications (Michael Rathmair - Joanneum Research Robotics, Austria)
- 12:00 - 12:30 Interactive Part - Fishbowl Discussion: Engaging discussion with the three speakers and audience experts to identify milestones and key challenges
Intended outcome
- Bring together safety experts from different domains
- Strengthen the euRobotics network’s safety competence and the collaboration between TG safety, TG industrial robotics, TG Standardisation
- Engage in pre-standardization to facilitate the establishment of novel methods and technologies in standards
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Ulrich Kirchmaier – Elektrobit Automotive GmbH, Germany
- Federico Vicentini – Boston Dynamics, USA
- Michael Rathmair – Joanneum Research Robotics, Austria
Moderators
- Magnus Albert – SICK AG, Germany
- José Saenz – Fraunhofer IFF, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TGs: Safety, Standardisation, Industrial Robotics
Projects involved
NA
Further information
Organisers
- Magnus Albert (SICK AG), magnus.albert@sick.de
- Michael Rathmair (Joanneum Research), michael.rathmair@joanneum.at
- Ulrich Kirchmaier (Elektrobit Automotive GmbH) ulrich.kirchmaier@elektrobit.com
WS#23 Renaud Champion Entrepreneurship Award 2025
Troels Oliver Pedersen (Odense Robotics), Jon Agirre Ibarbia (Tecnalia), Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics),Silchersaal
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Questions to be answered
Who will be the 2025 winner of the euRobotics Entrepreneurship award?
Description
Watch the shortlisted candidates pitch their companies and products to win the prestigious euRobotics Renaud Champion Entrepreneurship Award for the best European robotics startup in 2025.
We invite all entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs in the robotics field to join the competition for the euRobotics Renaud Champion Entrepreneurship Award. The Award is given out each year at the European Robotics Forum (ERF) to the most promising robotic start-up as judged by a jury of robotic entrepreneurship pioneers and experts. Entrants to the competition stand the chance to gain interest in their company from the robotics and investment community.
Attending the pitch competition with five promising European robotics startups, chosen by an expert jury, offers a unique glimpse into cutting-edge innovations in the industry.
Attendants will gain insights into the future of robotics and be inspired by the transformation of groundbreaking ideas into viable businesses.
Whether you're a robotics enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, this event provides valuable inspiration and knowledge.
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:20 Opening comments by the organisers and sponsors (Troels Oliver Pedersen - Odense Robotics, Denmark; Jon Agirre Ibarbia - Tecnalia, Spain; Franziska Kirstein - Three Robotics, Denmark)
- 11:20 - 11:40 Presentation by entrepreneurship role-model (Lukas Teichmann - NODE Robotics, Germany)
- 11:40 - 12:25 Pitches by award finalists
- 12:25 - 12:30 Conclusion
Intended outcome
Gain insights into cutting-edge technologies, learn how bold ideas transform into successful businesses, and connect with fellow enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. Don't miss this chance to be inspired and grow your network in the robotics community!
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Rolemodel: Lukas Teichmann – NODE Robotics, Germany
Moderator
- Troels Oliver Pedersen – Odense Robotics, Denmark
Finalists
- XiniX AI
- Enabling Robotics
- O-Robotics ApS
- RobCo GmbH
- SIMOBOTICS EOOD
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG Entrepreneurship
Projects involved
Further information
See the call for applications here: https://erf2025.eu/awards/#entrepreneurship
Organisers
- Troels Oliver Pedersen (Odense Robotics), trp@odenserobotics.dk
- Jon Agirre Ibarbia (Tecnalia), jon.agirre@tecnalia.com
- Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Franziska.Kirstein@gmail.com
WS#46 How can AI enable flexibility in Mobile Lab Robotics - and by the way: what is flexibility in mobile lab robotics?
Dr. Carl-Helmut Coulon (INVITE GmbH), )Room 14-16
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Questions to be answered
- Mobile Robotics
- What are the potential applications of mobile robots (in this workshop with robotics arm online) across various industries?
- What are the reasons why we do not see getting this type of robot into numbers?
- What features do we expect from mobile robots with arm?
- AI enabled flexibility
- If we expect flexibility as a feature to be fullfilled, how do we define flexiblity?
- Where do we expect AI to enable utilization of mobile robotics? Where do we expect AI to enable flexibility?
- Where do we expect humanoid robotics to be superior to “wheel based” mobile robotics and why?
Description
A mobile robot (not an AGV but a mobile manipulator) should, by definition, be used flexibly, at least as far as the workplace is concerned. A change of workplace is often accompanied by a change of activity or at least an adaptation of the activity to the new location. Stationary robots can easily convince through precision, speed and power - mobile robots have to convince through flexibility!
Within RoX, we have worked with our partners from the pharmaceutical industry to determine the specific type of flexibility that a mobile robot requires in order to be used flexibly in a pharmaceutical laboratory. Within RoX, we will now research methods from AI and our decentralised Data and Service ecosystem to see how we can achieve this flexibility.
During the workshop, we will discuss our view of the flexibility that is actually needed, as well as our approaches to achieving it. In the best case, we will all learn and together find further approaches to make mobile robotics flexible and thus successful in the future.
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:25 Introduction into the topic, the workshop and research project RoX (By project partners: INVITE GmbH, ABB, DLR, Fraunhofer, RIF; https://www.project-rox.ai/)
- 11:25 - 11:45 Moderated Interactive Workshop Part 1: Utilization of mobile robotics
- 11:45 - 12:00 Introduction into AI enabled flexibility: Current definition of flexibility in mobile robotics for lab robotics and expected approaches (by project partners: INVITE GmbH, ABB, DLR, Fraunhofer, RIF)
- 12:00 - 12:30 Moderated Interactive Workshop Part 2: AI enabled flexibility
Intended outcome
- Insights in concrete expectations for mobile robotics in laboratories in the near to mid-term future
- Directions for desired and successful contributions of AI to mobile robotics in laboratories
- Thoughts about shared challenges of humanoid and mobile robotics
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- To be filled
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
RoX: https://www.project-rox.ai/
Further information
Organisers
- Dr. Carl-Helmut Coulon (INVITE GmbH), coulon@invite-research.com)
WS#48 Human-robot collaboration in industry 5.0: navigating acceptance, inclusion, safety, and ethics
Dr. Shirley A. Elprama (imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel , FARI, AI for the Common Good Institute), Dr. Milan Wolffgramm (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), Clara Fischer (JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS), Dr. Gabriele Marchello (Italian Institute of Technology (IIT)), Agata Suwala (MTC), Carlo Weidemann (Institute of Mechanism Theory, Machine Dynamics and Robotics (RWTH Aachen University)),Room 20
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Questions to be answered
Topics that will be addressed in this workshop are:
- What does human-cobot collaboration in industry 5.0 look like (i.e., practical use cases)?
- How can robots assist industrial work (and in other domains) to improve ergonomics, and compensate for physical changes based on age or disabilities?
- How does worker diversity (age, anatomical gender, body heights - anthropometry, disabilities) influence the work with robots, in terms of safety, interaction and efficiency?
- How can we design adaptive and inclusive workspaces that enhance productivity, safety, and well-being for a diverse workforce, while integrating collaborative automation?
Description
This dynamic workshop dives into the latest insights and initiatives regarding the impact of robotics on society, focusing explicitly on sustaining the balance between productivity gains and worker interests. It addresses designing inclusive human-robot collaborations, focusing on improving worker welfare, participation, and safety, preventing work-related illnesses, and supporting aging or disabled workers. Ethical implications, labor adaptation, and successful case studies of robot integration will also be discussed, highlighting challenges and best practices in creating socially sustainable, inclusive, and safe work environments. Finally, practical examples will be provided to enhance the acceptance of robotics across industries. Energetic talks and lively panel discussions are to be expected.
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:20 General introduction of agenda and topic: Human-robot collaboration in Industry 5.0 (Dr. Gabriele Marchello - Italian Institute of Technology, Italy)
- 11:20 - 11:50 Power pitches on diversity, acceptance, safety and ethics (Carlo Weidemann - Institute of Mechanism Theory, Machine Dynamics and Robotics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Dr. Milan Wolffgramm - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands; Clara Fischer - Joanneum Research Robotics, Austria; Dr. Shirley A. Elprama - imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI, Belgium)
- 11:50 - 12:25 Panel Discussion (Agata Suwala - MTC, United Kingdom; Dr. Cecilia Scoccia - ilabs, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy; Dr. Milan Wolffgramm - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands; Dr. ir. Abeje Mersha – Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherland; Alberto Landini - STAM, Italy)
- 12:25 - 12:30 Wrap up (Dr. Gabriele Marchello - Italian Institute of Technology, Italy)
Intended outcome
- Uniting professionals to discuss cobot-related acceptance, inclusion, safety, and ethics in Industry 5.0.
- Disseminating the latest insights and methods on cobots in Europe.
- Laying the groundwork for new European project consortia.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Carlo Weidemann – Institute of Mechanism Theory, Machine Dynamics and Robotics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
- Dr. Milan Wolffgramm – Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands
- Clara Fischer – Joanneum Research Robotics, Austria
- Dr. Shirley A. Elprama – imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & FARI, Belgium
Panelists
- Dr. Cecilia Scoccia – Università Politecnica delle Marche, ilabs, Italy
- Dr. Milan Wolffgramm – Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands
- Dr. ir. Abeje Mersha – Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands
- Alberto Landini – STAM, Italy
Moderators
- Agata Suwala – MTC, United Kingdom
- Dr. Gabriele Marchello – Italian Institute of Technology, Italy
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Not applicable.
Projects involved
- Softmanbot: Advanced Robotic Technology for Handling Soft Materials in Manufacturing Sectors- https://softmanbot.eu/
- Masterly: niMble Artificial intelligence driven robotic SoluTions for Efficient and self-deteRmined handLing and assemblY operations - https://masterly-project.eu/
- RENEE: Flexible Remanufacturing Using AI and Advanced Robotics for Circular Value Chains in EU Industry - https://renee-project.eu/
- euRobin https://www.eurobin-project.eu/
- SAFEIVERSE: Integrating diversity and inclusion into the design of safe human-robot collaboration - Project of JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS (Austria) - https://www.joanneum.at/robotics/en/projects/safeiverse/
- Bridges 5.0: Towards a Human-Centred, Sustainable and Resilient Economy, https://bridges5-0.eu/
- IIDEA - Inklusion und Integration durch Cobots auf dem ersten Arbeitsmarkt (translated from German: Inclusion and Integration through Cobots into first labor market) https://www.iidea.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/badhmp/
Further information
WS LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/10009247/
Organisers
- Dr. Shirley A. Elprama (imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel , FARI, AI for the Common Good Institute), shirley.elprama@vub.be
- Dr. Milan Wolffgramm (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), m.r.wolffgramm@saxion.nl
- Clara Fischer (JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS), clara.fischer@joanneum.at
- Dr. Gabriele Marchello (Italian Institute of Technology (IIT)), gabriele.marchello@iit.it
- Agata Suwala (MTC), agata.suwala@the-mtc.org
- Carlo Weidemann (Institute of Mechanism Theory, Machine Dynamics and Robotics (RWTH Aachen University)), weidemann@igmr.rwth-aachne.de
WS#88 Scientific Track Poster Session I
Fraunhofer IPA, ISW University of StuttgartMaritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
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Questions to be answered
Poster Pitches of papers in the field of robotics.
Description
See below
Organisation of the WS
- Coastal Management through Safe Event-Triggered Predictive Control for UAVs
- Excerpt from a practical risk assessment of the hand-arm region for workplaces with collaborative robots
- Shopfloor-Ready High Accuracy Robotics – Mark II
- Automated Leaf-Level Inspection of Crops Combining UAV and UGV Robots
- Codeless teaching of robot-arm positioning in VR
- A Novel DMPs Based Approach to Comply ISO/TS 15066
- Planning under Uncertainties with Closed-Loop Sensitivity: Recent Results and Perspectives
- Friday: The Versatile Mobile Manipulator Robot
- Performances of a hybrid drive robot for steel machining
- Acceleration-based Inner-loop Control and MPC for Aerial Robots: Advantages and Drawbacks
- Modelling and Simulation of Industrial Delta Robots in ROS2 and Gazebo
- Automated Multi-Agent Assembly: Collaborative Robot-Crane Concept and Capability Matching Implementation for the Automated Assembly of Heavy Construction Components
- Factors Affecting Passive Stability of Quadruped Trotting with An-isotropic Compliant Legs
- Automated Euro NCAP testing of vehicles and mobile robots on automotive proving grounds
- Enhancing Construction Steel Assembly through Semantic Data Connectivity: Insights from an Adaptive Welding Procedure and in-process monitoring
- Pilot test to evaluate Ergonomic risk of industrial Exoskeleton with a semi-autonomous method relying on AzKCLI and the Equivalent Weight
- The Next Frontier: Deploying Autonomous Robotic Systems for Safer Nuclear Decommissioning in Europe
Intended outcome
To update the community about recent developments
Speakers, Panelists, etc
t.b.d.
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- Fraunhofer IPA,
- ISW University of Stuttgart
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch Break
No workshops in this session.
13:20- 14:00 Scientific track posters
WS#103 Scientific Track Poster Session
Frauhofer-IPA and partnersHegelsaal Balcony
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Questions to be answered
tbd
Description
Welcoming and registering the members for the General Assembly and networking
Organisation of the WS
The registration process to the GA will be communicated soon to the members
Intended outcome
tbd
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- tbd
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- euRobotics
14:00 - 15:20 Sessions Afternoon Day 2 -slot 1
WS#15 Bringing Soft Robotics to Application
Florian Hartmann (Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems), Linda Paternò (The BioRobotics Institute of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), Gernot Kronreif (ACMIT - The Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology)Room 14-16
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Questions to be answered
This workshop will focus on the challenges that are involved into bringing soft robotics to application. We will discuss how soft machines can support and interact with the human body and address translational questions such as: What are the potential barriers from the regulatory side? What are the potential barriers on the technology side?
Description
The demand for compliant machines capable of safely interacting with the human body is growing across various applications. To meet this need, significant research in robotics has focused on developing new classes of devices through the soft robotics approach. However, despite extensive efforts in recent years, the commercialization of these systems remains absent. Therefore, further research is required to develop soft robots that are both effective and durable enough for successful market translation. This workshop aims to explore the scientific advancements and the challenges of bringing soft robotics to various applications, including rehabilitation, haptics, and surgery.
Organisation of the WS
14:00 - 14:12 Kaspar Althoefer – Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
14:12 - 14:24 Elena Giannaccini – University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
14:24 - 14:36 Alona Shagan – Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
14:36 - 14:48 Hedan Bai – ETHZ, Zürich, Switzerland
14:48 - 15:20 Panel discussion
Intended outcome
The workshop aims to bring together the leading experts in soft robotics. Attendees will benefit from an interdisciplinary research talks on that topic, focusing on the challenges involved to bring soft robots to the market. The WS will stimulate ideas for future research collaborations between researchers and enable SMEs to discuss market needs and potentials with the community.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Kaspar Althoefer – Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Elena Giannaccini – University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Alona Shagan – Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- Andrea Peirone – Embodied AI, Lausanne, Switzerland
Moderators
- Linda Paterno – The BioRobotics Institute of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Florian Hartmann – Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Germany
- Gernot Kronreif – ACMIT - The Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology, Austria
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
MAPWORMS - Mimicking Adaptation and Plasticity in WORMS
Further information
Organisers
- Florian Hartmann (Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems), hartmann@is.mpg.de
- Linda Paternò (The BioRobotics Institute of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), linda.paterno@santannapisa.it
- Gernot Kronreif (ACMIT - The Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology) gernot.kronreif@acmit.at
WS#25 Sustainability Leadership Recognition in Robotics 2025
Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH)Room 22-24
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Questions to be answered
This session is honoring organizations and teams leading the way with innovative solutions and transformative practices, showcasing their contributions to inspiring the global robotics community toward a sustainable tomorrow. The focus is on two key topics:
- Robots for Sustainability: How can we use/deploy robots to support sustainability?
- Sustainability of Robots: How can we make (and use) robots themselves sustainably?
Description
Robots have significant potential to support sustainability, contributing to efforts such as combating climate change, improving recycling, reducing manufacturing waste, and transforming social applications. As demand for robotics grows, it becomes essential to ensure that their production and disposal are aligned with sustainable practices. Addressing the long-term sustainability of robotic technologies is complex and requires careful consideration to avoid negative environmental impacts. Sustainability, as defined by the 1987 Brundtland Report, emphasizes intergenerational equity—ensuring that current generations meet their needs without compromising future generations’ ability to do the same. It also stresses the importance of balancing three core elements: economic growth, environmental protection, and social inclusion. These principles are foundational to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which address pressing global challenges and aim to create a more sustainable future for all. Integrating sustainability into robotics can drive innovation and contribute to a healthier planet and a more equitable society.
The "Sustainability Leadership Recognition in Robotics" initiative has been launched to highlight and celebrate sustainability efforts within the robotics community. This session aims to inspire others by recognizing innovations that address sustainability challenges through robotics and acknowledging those who are leading the way in integrating sustainable practices into the development and deployment of robotic technologies.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 – 14:05 Opening comments by the organisers
- 14:05 - 14:10 The ARIA Travel Award
- 14:10 - 14:50 Impulse Talks and Panel Discussion: Robotics & Sustainability: Balancing Environmental, Social & Economic Sustainability
- Impulse Talk 1: Samudra Ocean by Joyeeta Da, Founder and CEO
- Impulse Talk 2: Trovador by Sebastião Mendonça and Marta Augusta Freire Bernardino, Co-Founders
- Impulse Talk 3: Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics Empa and EPFL by Prof. Mirko Kovac, Head of Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics
- Impulse Talk 4: TRUST by Eleonora Storto, Founder TRUST / School of Advanced Studies Sant’Anna Pisa
- Impulse Talk 5: System Design for Optimized Operations of a Fleet of Autonomous Urban Service Robots by Abhishek Gupta, Research Associate (Post Doc) and Project Manager at TU Berlin
- 14:50 - 15:20 Impulse Talks and Panel Discussion: Robots & the Circular Economy: Recycling, Reuse & Beyond
- Impulse Talk 1: AI-Powered Robotics for Safe and Efficient EV Battery Recycling by Dr Alireza Rastegarpanah, Senior Robotic Scientist/Co-Founder of the National Sustainable Robotic Centre
- Impulse Talk 2: RENÉE - Flexible Remanufacturing Using AI and Advanced Robotics for Circular Value Chains in EU Industry by Christos Gkournelos (Project Coordinator), LMS
- Impulse Talk 3: Circular Robotics for Sustainable Waste Management by Dr. Fotios Konstantinidis, ICCS
Intended outcome
This session will honor organizations and teams that are making a significant impact through innovative robotic solutions focused on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. By showcasing these efforts, we aim to inspire further commitment to sustainability within the robotics community.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Shortlisted candidates who will present their sustainability journeys will be announced in week
Speakers and Panelists
- Joyeeta Da, Founder and CEO, Samudra Ocean
- Sebastião Mendonça and Marta Augusta Freire Bernardino, Co-Founders, Trovador
- Prof. Mirko Kovac, Head of Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics Empa and EPFL
- Eleonora Storto, Founder TRUST / School of Advanced Studies Sant’Anna Pisa
- Dr Alireza Rastegarpanah, Senior Robotic Scientist/Co-Founder of the National Sustainable Robotic Centre
- Abhishek Gupta, Research Associate (Post Doc) and Project Manager at TU Berlin
- Christos Gkournelos (Project Coordinator), LABORATORY FOR MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS and AUTOMATION (LMS)
- Dr. Fotios Konstantinidis, Industry 5.0 & Smart Manufacturing – I-SENSE Research Division, ICCS
Moderators
- Franziska Kirstein, Three Robotics
- Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH)
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG Sustainability
Projects involved
The initiative is supported by ARIA and euRobotics.
Empowering the Underrepresented in Robotics
Many talented individuals in robotics face barriers to participation due to financial constraints, limiting diversity and innovation in the field. This initiative supports underrepresented groups by providing opportunities to engage, contribute, and thrive in the robotics community. Thus, an exclusive opportunity awaits two applicants who can benefit from:
ARIA Travel Awards
Each of the two selected applicants will have the chance to receive a 500 Euro travel award supported by ARIA https://www.aria.org.uk/
European Robotics Forum Access
The two applicants will also receive free access tickets (one each) to the European Robotics Forum 2025 supported by euRobotics.
Further information
Find the call for applicants here: https://www.roboticsforsustainability.eu/post/robotics-sustainability-leadership-recognition-at-erf-2025
Organisers
- Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Franziska.Kirstein@gmail.com
- Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH) Sharath.Akkaladevi@profactor.at
WS#31 Collaborative Heterogeneous Robots in Extreme Environments
Abeje Yenehun Mersha (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), , website: saxion.nl/smart Carlos Rizzo (EURECAT), , website: https://eurecat.orgRoom 20
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Questions to be answered
How can we leverage the complementarity of heterogeneous robots for effective task execution, resilient navigation, failure recovery, and accurate 3D mapping in extreme environments?
Description
This workshop focuses on advancing the deployment of collaborative heterogeneous robots in extreme environments, addressing challenges like harsh conditions, limited visibility, and unpredictable hazards. By harnessing the complementary strengths of diverse robotic platforms—spanning ground, aerial, and underwater systems—participants will gain insights into advanced strategies for robust task execution, resilient navigation, and failure recovery. A key emphasis will be on utilizing multimodal sensor fusion frameworks from heterogeneous robots to generate accurate and consistent 3D maps of unknown terrains, even under disruptions like non-uniform particles or adverse weather. These maps will serve as critical infrastructure for navigation and task execution. Featuring expert talks and panel discussions, the workshop aims to connect cutting-edge research with real-world applications, advancing collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:10 Welcome and Introduction: Outline of workshop objectives and agenda for human-robot collaboration in extreme environments (Abeje Y. Mersha - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands)
- 14:10 - 14:20 Future Trends in Heterogeneous Robotic Systems (Mateus Sanches - EURECAT, Spain)
- 14:20 - 14:30 Disrupting the mining industry with multi-robot systems (Matteo Fumagalli - DTU, Denmark) (https://www.persephone-mining.eu/)
- 14:30 - 14:40 Collaborative SLAM (Mohammad Aldibaja - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands)
- 14:40 - 14:50 Safe and Effective CBRNe Response with Semiautonomous Heterogeneous Robotic System (Matko Orsag - FER, Croatia)
- 14:50 - 15:00 Radar-based long endurance inspection using tethered UAV-UGV robot configuration (Fernando Caballero Benítez, Pablo de Olavide University, Spain)
- 15:00 - 15:15 Panel Discussion: Exploring the Role of AI in Extreme Robotics, focusing on its contributions to adaptability and resilience in hazardous environments, with active audience participation. Moderated by Carlos Rizzo (EURECAT)
- 15:15 - 15:20 Wrap-up: Summary of insights and identification of future directions. (Abeje Y. Mersha - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands)
Intended outcome
Workshop on recent developments in technology or applications, Collaborative EU projects
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Mohammad Aldibaja - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands
- Mateus Sanches - EURECAT, Spain
- Matteo Fumagalli - DTU, Denmark
- Matko Orsag - FER, Croatia
- Fernando Caballero Benítez, Pablo de Olavide University, Spain
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Autonomous Navigation (https://eu-robotics.net/autonomous-navigation-topic-group/), Aerostream (https://aerostream.fer.hr/)
Projects involved
- Horizon Europe Aerostream (https://aerostream.fer.hr/)
- Horizon Europe Persephone https://www.persephone-mining.eu/
Further information
Organisers
- Abeje Yenehun Mersha (Saxion University of Applied Sciences), a.y.mersha@saxion.nl, website: saxion.nl/smart
- Carlos Rizzo (EURECAT), carlos.rizzo@eurecat.org, website: https://eurecat.org
WS#53 The Future of Robotics in Europe - Is there a common strategy?
David Bisset (euRobotics), Reinhard Lafrenz (euRobotics)Silchersaal
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Questions to be answered
There are several strategy and roadmap documents that came out in recent months defining the future of European Robotics. This workshop will answer the question; “What are the different visions for robotics in Europe and do they align?”
Description
This workshop brings together the key organisations responsible for the current collection of European robotics strategy and roadmap documents. It will assess the viewpoints expressed by each organisation and collate the primary challenges for European Robotics. Panelists will explain the key focus in each strategy followed by an open discussion with the audience on the future direction of robotics in Europe.
Organisation of the WS
- Introduction & Overview: Brief overview of strategy documents.
- Focused Explanations: In-depth review of key elements in each strategy.
- Panel Discussion: Discussion on key questions regarding the strategies.
- Structured Discussion: Interactive session between panelists and the audience on the way forward.
- Panel Viewpoint: Panel provides insights on the key challenges and actions that need to be taken.
Intended outcome
- Creating understanding of the different documents and the (common) direction of these
- Better connect the key players for each strategy
- Identify concrete steps to implement the strategy / strategies
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- David Bisset – euRobotics, United Kingdom
- Reinhard Lafrenz – euRobotics, Belgium
- Gregorio Ameyugo – CEA, France
- Patrick Schwarzkopf – VDMA, Germany
- Alin Albu-Schäffer – euROBIN, Germany
- Aude Billard – euROBIN, Switzerland
- Philip Piatkiewicz – Adra, Belgium
- Cecile Huet – EC, Luxembourg (tbc)
- Cem Gulec – EC, Luxembourg (tbc)
- Petra Koudelkova-Delimoges – Adra & euRobotics, France
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
-
Further information
Links to strategies to add
Organisers
- David Bisset (euRobotics),
- Reinhard Lafrenz (euRobotics)
WS#57 Robotics in the pharma industry: from drug discovery to drug delivery
Radhika Gudipati (ARIA), Patrick Courtney (tec-connection), Karol Janik (MTC)Room 25-27
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Questions to be answered
To discuss challenges in pharma and life sciences industries
- in robot adoption
- what are the new opportunities
- where are potential collaborations possible
End-users, Research community, Tech developers, suppliers, engineering
community Speakers: end-user organisations, research and academia
Description
The pharmaceutical industries, and life sciences more generally, play an important role in our quality of life and economic prosperity. However, the use of robotics has been quite limited due to missing capability. In this workshop, we bring together perspectives from both the industrial robots and lab robotics TGs to identify and address the challenges.
Speakers and panellists are from End-users, Research, and academic communities (details provided in the sections below).
Tech developers, suppliers, engineering community already expressed interest in participating in the workshop discussions
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:05 Introduction & Scene Setting: Welcome and overview of the workshop agenda and objectives.
- 14:05 - 14:20 Presentation 1: Drug Manufacturing (Milad Jami – Novo Nordisk, Denmark)
- 14:20 - 14:35 Presentation 2: Drug Delivery – Validation & Verification (Philip Schneider – Roche, Switzerland)
- 14:35 - 14:50 Presentation 3: Future Perspectives in Laboratory Automation (Andreas Traube – Fraunhofer IPA, Germany)
- 14:50 - 15:15 Interactive Panel Discussion (audience survey running in parallel) (Karol Janik - MTC, United Kingdom; Milad Jami – Novo Nordisk, Denmark; Philip Schneider – Roche, Switzerland; Andreas Traube – Fraunhofer IPA, Germany)
- 15:15 - 15:20 Closure: Summarizing insights and outlining next steps.
Intended outcome
From the audience survey/poll as well as the live conversation in the workshop, we will capture
- Challenges in robot adoption
- New opportunities that can lead to collaborations
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Milad Jami – Novo Nordisk, Denmark
- Philip Schneider – Roche, Switzerland
- Andreas Traube – Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Karol Janik – MTC, United Kingdom
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Laboratory Robotics TG , Industrial Robotics TG
Projects involved
Digital Manufacturing Accelerator, DMA-MTC (https://digitalmanufacturingaccelerator.com/), Liverpool Metropolitan Area Regional Funding, DMA project involved developing two highly reconfigurable production lines dedicated to pharmaceutical (personalised packaging of pills) and fast moving consumer goods industries (personalised shampoo filling) as a physical demonstration of reconfigurable manufacturing digital infrastructure.
TraceBot (http://www.tracebot.eu) which involved developing traceable robotics suitable for use in regulated environments such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, based on advances in perception, planning and reasoning to create a digital audit trail.
Further information
- Lab automation by Patrick
- Milad
- Focus on drug manufacturing (drug delivery means manufacturing)
- Technology challenges
- Technology adoption and opportunities (advanced use cases that are being explored)
- Opportunities - exploring simulation and digital twins - doing digital verification in simulated environments is an opportunity - risk mitigation in simulated environments
- Philip
- focus on drug delivery - validation & verification
- What is the driver to look into robotic applications (dull, dirty, dangerous and delicate tasks)
- Implementation of mobile robotic system, difficulty in connecting at the IT / OT level
- Industry still at the early stage of adoption of collaborative robots - safety in shop floor
- Andreas
- Focus on bringing future perspective in the laboratory automation
- Success story or a use case that is implemented in a small scale research lab setting - this can feed in well into what the challenges for scaling up into the industry
- 5Ds - How can Data complement the other 4Ds
- Q on verification & validation
https://www.mentimeter.com/blog/business/slido-alternatives
- Where are you from? (Industry, academia, RTO)
- What comes to your mind when you think of automation in pharmaceutical manufacturing?
- Dull, Dirty, Dangerous, Delicate and Data - in which areas can you contribute from your experience?
Organisers
- Radhika Gudipati (ARIA), radhika.gudipati@aria.org.uk
- Patrick Courtney (tec-connection), patrick.courtney@tec-connection.com
- Karol Janik (MTC) karol.janik@the-mtc.org
WS#89 Scientific Track Poster Session II
Fraunhofer IPA, ISW University of StuttgartMaritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
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Questions to be answered
Poster Pitches of papers in the field of robotics.
Description
See below
Organisation of the WS
- DARKO-Nav: Hierarchical Risk- and Context-aware Robot Navigation in Complex Intralogistic Environments
- Anticipatory Regulation for Service Robotics Safety
- Simple Estimation Algorithm for Laser Tracker Localization in Industrial Robot Calibration
- Specification and Execution of Robotic Acceptance Tests for Object Sorting
- Robotic Activities in Harsh Environments: Summary of 2024 Interventions at CERN
- Evaluation of a Haptic-Actuated Glove for Remote Human-Robot Interaction (HRI): A Proof of Concept
- Heterogeneous Multi-Robot Systems Cooperative Exploration of Unknown Environment
- Leveraging Synthetic Training Data for Object Detection to Enhance Autonomous Depalletizing Systems
- Recovering Dense Metric Depth in Indoor Scenes from Monocular Depth Foundation Models and 2D LiDARs
- A Low-Cost, Multi-Modal Grasping Point Estimation System for Shop Floor Applications
- Modular Multi-View AI-Based 3D Human Pose Estimation Edge Computing Architecture
- Defining High-Risk AI Systems: Understanding the Complexity of the AIA Definitions
- Reinforcement Learning for Legged Robots: Truncated Quantile Critics with Path Following Tracking
- Autonomous Robotized Detachment of Wiring Connectors
- Efficient 6D Object Pose Estimation for Robotic Grasping using Lightweight Neural Network Architectures
- Improving Off-Road LiDAR Semantic Segmentation with Spatial Context and Auxiliary Tasks
- Robotic Perception of Underwater Plastic Bottles for Augmented Telepresence
- Buffer (for technical issues and transitions)
Intended outcome
To update the community about recent developments
Speakers, Panelists, etc
tbd
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- Fraunhofer IPA,
- ISW University of Stuttgart
WS#9 Additive Manufacturing in Robotics
Mathias Brandstötter (ADMiRE Research Center, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences), Jyrki Latokartano (Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, RoboLabTampere, Tampere University)Room 11-13
iCal
Questions to be answered
- How can additive manufacturing revolutionize robotics, e.g. with high-performance and functional components?
- What are the advantages of robot-assisted additive manufacturing in achieving novel applications across industries?
- How can this workshop support the creation of consortia for EU-funded projects and foster the establishment of a euRobotics Topic Group?
Description
The integration of cutting-edge technologies has propelled us into a new era where the development of functional components is not only feasible but transformative. These components play pivotal roles in advancing the capabilities of robotics, highlighting the synergy between robotics and additive manufacturing (AM) as a mutually enriching partnership.
This workshop convenes experts from diverse fields of additive manufacturing and robotics to explore recent innovations, future opportunities, and challenges. Through collaborative discussions, participants will address key gaps and identify actionable solutions to advance the integration of these technologies.
Main topics:
- AM for Robotics: Focusing on advancements in creating robotic components through AM (e.g., in flexible, adaptable designs suited for soft robotics but also for a lot of other applications requiring high material performance.)
- AM with Robotics: Examining the use of robotics to assist in additive manufacturing processes (with insights into increased efficiency, complex geometries, and scalable production.)
By combining knowledge from these diverse domains, the workshop aims to push the boundaries of what’s possible in robotics and additive manufacturing, fostering innovation and collaboration across Europe and beyond.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:30 Keynote Presentations: Renowned experts share insights into advancements in both "AM for Robotics" and "AM with Robotics," focusing on current projects, challenges, and future trends
- 14:30 - 15:10 Interactive Group Discussions: Attendees are divided into thematic groups to address the workshop’s core questions. Facilitators guide the discussions to encourage knowledge exchange and outline pathways for collaborative innovation
- 15:10 - 15:20 Plenary Session: Group findings are presented to the entire audience, fostering a collective understanding and ensuring all participants benefit from the discussions. Outcomes will be documented as a foundation for future initiatives
Intended outcome
Outcome of the WS:
- Establish clear goals for forming consortia targeting EU funding opportunities.
- Lay the groundwork for creating a euRobotics Topic Group on AM in robotics, enabling sustained discussions and collaborations.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Erik Paessler – CEAD, Germany
- Sigrid Brell-Cokcan – RWTH Aachen University, Germany
- Oliver Refle – Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), Germany
Moderator
- Mathias Brandstötter – ADMiRE Research Center, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, Austria
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG Industrial Robotics
Projects involved
We provide an insight into numerous European projects that deal with additive manufacturing.
Further information
- CEAD: https://ceadgroup.com
- RWTH Aachen: https://www.ip.rwth-aachen.de
- Fraunhofer IPA: https://www.ipa.fraunhofer.de
Organisers
- Mathias Brandstötter (ADMiRE Research Center, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences),
- Jyrki Latokartano (Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, RoboLabTampere, Tampere University)
15:20 - 16:00 Coffee Break with scientific track posters
WS#104 Scientific Track Poster Session
Frauhofer-IPA and partnersHegelsaal Balcony
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Questions to be answered
Description
Organisation of the WS
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
16:00 - 17:20 Sessions Afternoon Day 2 -slot 2
WS#1 Navigating Uncertainty in the European Regulation of AI. Understanding when your AI System is High-Risk, and why it does matter!
Prof. Dr. Andrea Bertolini (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna), Dr. Federica Fedorczyk (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna), Dr. Marta Mariolina Mollicone (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna), Guilherme Migliora (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna)Silchersaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
In this workshop, we will demonstrate the challenges posed by the AI Act, particularly the complexity and lack of clarity in its definitions, with a focus on high-risk AI systems. For instance, reading Article 6 of the AI Act does not immediately clarify how to classify a system as high-risk. Yet, correctly qualifying an AI system is crucial as it determines the specific legal obligations that developers, providers, and deployers must meet to operate lawfully in the European market. Indeed, developers, providers, and deployers of AI systems currently face significant uncertainty in identifying the applicable legal regime for their systems and, consequently, the obligations required to avoid liability and legal sanctions.
Therefore, we will explain the actual content of Article 6 and illustrate the intricacies of its formulation, and this explanation is essential for both engineers and lawyers.
Description
This workshop will provide attendees with an in-depth exploration of the regulatory framework established by the AI Act (AIA), offering both an overview and a critical perspective on its implications for the regulation of AI systems.
The regulatory framework: an overview of the AI Act
- A general introduction to the AIA, highlighting its structure and objectives;
- Examination of how the AIA represents a shift in the regulation of AI systems, placing it in a broader context of European regulatory practices.
Focus on Article 6 and the definition of High-Risk AI Systems (h-AIS)
- Critical Overview of Annex III:
- Detailed analysis of the high-risk categories outlined in Annex III, identifying key criteria and addressing critical challenges and ambiguities in their application;
- Article 6, §1 and Applicable European Product Safety Regulations:
- Explanation of how Article 6, §1 connects high-risk AI system identification to existing European product safety regulations;
- Discussion of the extreme complexity of the regulatory framework referenced by Article 6, §1, and its implications for stakeholders;
- Examination of the role of third-party conformity assessments.
Case Study: Unintended Consequences of Article 6, §1 AIA
- A concrete example illustrating the potential unintended consequences that could arise from the application of Article 6, §1;
- Analysis of how these challenges might impact developers, providers, and deployers of AI systems intending to operate in the European market.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:50 In-depth presentation of the AI Act norms and their inconsistencies
- 16:50 - 17:20 Roundtable & Q&A (Andrea Bertolini, Federica Fedorczyk, Marta Mariolina Mollicone, Guilherme Migliora - Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy; Stefano Aterno - E-Lex, Italy; Lena Lörcher - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany)
Intended outcome
After the workshop, participants will have a clear and comprehensive understanding of Article 6 of the AI Act. They will understand the complexities and practical implications of the references to Annex III and Annex I, including how to classify their products as high-risk AI systems and the specific criteria outlined therein. Furthermore, they will understand the critical role that third-party conformity assessments play in determining whether a system falls into the high-risk category.
Attendees will also leave with a deeper awareness of the broader implications of these provisions for those developing, providing or deploying AI systems intended for the European market. This includes understanding the legal obligations they must comply with to ensure their products meet regulatory requirements and can be lawfully operated in the EU. By the end of the session, participants will be better equipped to navigate the regulatory landscape for high-risk AI systems and to confidently address the challenges posed by the AI Act.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Andrea Bertolini - Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
- Federica Fedorczyk - Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
- Marta Mariolina Mollicone - Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
- Guilherme Migliora - Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
- Stefano Aterno - E-Lex, Italy
- Lena Lörcher - Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
LSE – Legal Subtopic group
Projects involved
SWAG - ARISE
Further information
http://www.eura.santannapisa.it
Organisers
- Prof. Dr. Andrea Bertolini (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna), andrea.bertolini@santannapisa.it
- Dr. Federica Fedorczyk (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna), federica.fedorczyk@santannapisa.it
- Dr. Marta Mariolina Mollicone (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna), marta.mollicone@santannapisa.it
- Guilherme Migliora (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna) guilherme.migliora@santannapisa.it
WS#14 R3: Mechatronics for Robustness, Resilience, and Reliability of robotic systems
Wesley Roozing (TG on Mechatronics, University of Twente), Navvab Kashiri (TG on Mechatronics, Leonardo),Maritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
iCal
Questions to be answered
- How to quantify R3 (Robustness, Resilience, and Reliability) for mechatronic systems?
- How to design R3 benchmarks for mechatronic systems?
- Where are the main R3 technology gaps in the mechatronic engineering of robotic systems?
Description
Now that robots are moving beyond traditional applications in industrial settings into applications in human, unstructured, and challenging environments in the field, their design and engineering face more strenuous requirements. Robots need to be Robust, Resilient, and Reliable (R3): Being able to withstand environmental conditions such as dust, moisture, heat, radiation, vibration, impacts, and so on, maintaining long-term reliability potentially even under sub-component failure. Operating in human environments means that these robots also need to be reliably safe in their interactions. Moreover, many of these new robots are mobile, which means that these properties need to be achieved within limited weight and energy consumption to achieve long-term operation.
Achieving these aspects at the hardware and low-level software level is a necessary condition for robots to achieve R3 at the task and cognitive level. While the latter is certainly important as well, this workshop focuses specifically on the mechatronics principles to achieve Robustness, Resilience, and Reliability of robotic systems.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:05 Introduction by organisers incl. TG Mechatronics update (Wesley Roozing, Navvab Kashiri)
- 16:05 - 16:15 Mechatronics in inspection and maintenance robotics (Aksel Transeth - SINTEF Digital, Norway)
- 16:15 - 16:25 The Rover IDEFIX for the MMX space mission. Robotics hardware in deep space and what we can derive for terrestrial developments (Markus Grebenstein - DLR, Germany)
- 16:25 - 16:35 ANYmal: Overcoming R3 limitations for operational deployments in challenging industrial environments (Benjamin Mottis - Anybotics, Switzerland)
- 16:35 - 16:45 Mechatronics designs at CERN for inspection, maintenance and repair tasks in harsh conditions (Eloise Matheson, CERN)
- 16:45 - 17:20 Panel & group discussion
- 17:20 Closing
Keynote 1: Aksel Transeth (TG on I&M, SINTEF Digital)
Title: Mechatronics in inspection and maintenance robotics
Abstract: In this presentation, we discuss infrastructure categories, use cases and challenges regarding mechatronics in robotics for inspection and maintenance (I&M). Based on the work by the euRobotics I&M topic group, we present three main categories of infrastructure relevant for I&M robotics. We will also present a selection of use cases that highlight the diverse types of robots needed for different scenarios. Examples include crawlers and UAVs for internal tank inspections, and aerial and underwater robots for inspecting and intervening with linear infrastructure in remote locations. We will discuss the primary challenges in mechatronics for these applications, such as ensuring robustness in harsh environments (e.g., offshore splash zones) and keeping costs down while accommodating different use case requirements (e.g., payload and locomotion-related).
Keynote 2: Markus Grebenstein (DLR)
Title: The Rover IDEFIX for the MMX space mission. Robotics hardware in deep space and what we can derive for terrestrial developments.
Abstract: CNES and DLR jointly developed a robotic rover for the JAXA MMX mission to the Martian moon Phobos. Roboticists often think space hardware "is a different story", but the development of the rover clearly highlighted there is a lot of engineering insights from space that are truly valuable for terrestrial robotic hardware. The talk will give a short overview of the mission, the development of IDEFIX and highlight some key insights.
Keynote 3: Benjamin Mottis (Anybotics)
Title: ANYmal: Overcoming R3 limitations for operational deployments in challenging industrial environments
Abstract: The successful deployment of robotic systems like ANYmal in demanding industrial environments requires overcoming significant Robustness, Resilience, and Reliability (R3) challenges. This presentation focuses on the specific R3 gaps that ANYmal addresses, showcasing the innovative solutions ANYbotics is developing to ensure reliable operation in real-world industrial scenarios. Through an analysis of ANYmal's design and capabilities, we will explore how it tackles critical limitations in areas such as mobility, sensing, and autonomy, enabling robust robotic deployments in challenging industrial settings.
Keynote 4: Eloise Matheson (CERN)
Title: Mechatronics designs at CERN for inspection, maintenance and repair tasks in harsh conditions
Abstract: Mechatronics design is a critical part of new robotics systems, especially when these systems must reliably operate in harsh conditions. At CERN, commercial and inhouse robots are regularly used for inspection, maintenance and repair tasks to suit the rather unique set of needs of the accelerator complex and experimental caverns. This talk will detail some of the main robots used at CERN, giving examples of interventions where robustness and resilience were key for the success of the operation.
Intended outcome
- First definition of R3 (Robustness, Resilience, and Reliability) KPIs for Mechatronic systems, potentially leading to a whitepaper output.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Aksel Transeth - TG on I&M, SINTEF Digital, Norway
- Markus Grebenstein - DLR, Germany
- Benjamin Mottis - Anybotics, Switzerland
- Eloise Matheson - CERN, Switzerland
Moderators
- Wesley Roozing - University of Twente, the Netherlands
- Navvab Kashiri - Leonardo & Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- Topic Group on Mechatronics (organisation)
- Topic Group on Inspection and Maintenance (keynote)
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- Wesley Roozing (TG on Mechatronics, University of Twente), w.roozing@utwente.nl
- Navvab Kashiri (TG on Mechatronics, Leonardo), navvab.kashiri@leonardo.com
WS#3 Autonomy levels framework for pathway to autonomous mobile machines
Juha Röning (University of Oulu), Antti Siren (Fima), Johannes Hyrynen (VTT)Room 22-24
iCal
Questions to be answered
The workshop will introduce a new framework for autonomy levels for heavy mobile machines. No similar framework exists which is meant to wide use (white paper is under work). The framework is complementary in its nature: The framework can be applied in many kinds of machines.
The objectives and impact of the workshop is to introduce a framework of levels of autonomy that enables us to understand how to utilize autonomous solutions efficiently and sustainably in various applications and environments. The framework includes a spectrum of machines from basic automation to full autonomy including individual components, machines as well as entire systems and processes. We believe that common language and definitions to autonomy levels to support collaboration between many parties (OEM companies, SMEs, Research, regulation and standardisation parties).
Description
The objectives and impact of the workshop is to introduce a framework of levels of autonomy that enables us to understand how to utilize autonomous solutions efficiently and sustainably in various applications and environments. The framework includes a spectrum of machines from basic automation to full autonomy including individual components, machines as well as entire systems and processes. A common language and definitions to autonomy levels will support collaboration between many parties (OEM companies, SMEs, Research, regulation and standardization parties). The framework helps to define the roles of co-working human operated and autonomous machines and to optimize this collaboration on work sites.
The benefits of establishing a framework for autonomy will be further discussed and evaluated. The benefits can be:
● A well-structured framework speeds up the development and deployment of autonomous systems.
● Cross-Industrial collaboration - By establishing a common language and standards, the potential for collaboration is enabled across diverse industries.
● Defining system requirements - Grasping the specific needs of machines, whether they operate solo or as part of a larger ensemble, ensures they perform optimally and cohesively, driving forward the future of autonomy.
● Supporting the development of safe, efficient, and cost-effective autonomous technologies.
● Offering methodology to evaluate the business value of investments in fully or partly autonomous systems.
The workshop will further discuss how the framework can be utilized in practice and how it can help to achieve the ultimate vision and define a pathway to a future where autonomous systems across all domains operate seamlessly and efficiently without human intervention.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:10 Introduction to the Workshop (Juha Röning – University of Oulu, Finland)
- 16:10 - 16:25 Autonomy Levels Framework (Johannes Hyrynen – VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Finland)
- 16:25 - 16:40 Human Assistant Autonomy – Easy and Scalable Way to Adapt Automation in Heavy Machinery (Joni Niskala – Sumirai Technologies, NA)
- 16:40 - 16:55 Towards Autonomous Underground Explosive Charging (Kalle Määttä – Normet Oy, Finland)
- 16:55 - 17:00 Field Robotics Topic Group Initiative (George Nikolakopoulos – Luleå University of Technology, Sweden)
- 17:00 - 17:20 Interactive Workshop Session (Open Café Discussion)
Participants will engage in discussions addressing:
• The relevance and completeness of the autonomy levels dimensions
• Feedback on the presented framework
• How the framework can be utilized in various applications
Intended outcome
· White paper preparation and validation for autonomy levels in heavy mobile robotics
· New topic group initiative “Field Robotics” for heavy mobile robotics
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Juha Röning – University of Oulu & euRobotics aisbl & Adra, Finland
- Joni Niskala - Sumirai Technologies, Finland
- Johannes Hyrynen – VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Finland
- Kalle Määttä – Normet Oy, Finland
- George Nikolakopoulos – Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Heavy Machine TG is to be established; fits to several current TGs
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- Juha Röning (University of Oulu), Juha.Roning@oulu.fi
- Antti Siren (Fima), antti.siren@fima.fi
- Johannes Hyrynen (VTT) johannes.hyrynen@vtt.fi
WS#44 Circularity in Robotics: Design and use-cases
Michel Joop van der Schoor (euRobotics TG Sustainability), Brigita Jurisic (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory), Oswald Bratuc (PROFACTOR GmbH), Sharath Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH), Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Simon Schläger (RWTH Aachen), Anastasia Garbi (European Dynamics Luxembourg SA), Amit Kumar Pandey (Rovial Space)Room 11-13
iCal
Questions to be answered
- What challenges and opportunities arise with the introduction of robots in circular supply chains, and how can they advance circularity goals?
- How can design methods like Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) and stakeholder involvement help determine if using robots is necessary and guide ways to reduce the environmental and social impact of robots or the overall manufacturing process?
- What is the economic benefit of adding robots into circular economy design scenarios?
Description
This workshop will explore the role of different stakeholders for robotic applications in advancing circular economy goals, with a focus on sustainable design practices and life cycle engineering. Through various case studies, participants will gain insights into the design and implementation of robotic systems that prioritize sustainability, covering topics such as early-stage life cycle engineering (LCE), stakeholder engagement, and circular supply chain formation. The workshop will highlight practical use cases, including recycling of end-of-life ships, remanufacturing, and e-waste processing, showcasing how robotic technologies can reduce negative social and environmental impact while creating economic value. Attendees will engage in interactive group work, discussing challenges and developing solutions to enhance the circularity of robotic applications.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:10 Sustainability & Circular Economy: Challenges, Needs & Requirements from CE Industry
- 16:10 - 16:20 Life Cycle Engineering & Sustainable Robotic Design for Circularity
- 16:20 - 17:00 Round-Tables: Use-Cases for Circular Design & Life Cycle Engineering
• UC1: Battery Manufacturing
• UC2: Ship Recycling
• UC3: Wood Recycling
• UC4: E-Waste Recycling
- 17:00 - 17:20 Panel Discussion & Q&A: Presentation with questions/feedback on Roundtable Results
Intended outcome
Participants of the workshop will:
- get input on LCE & Circularity
- get an idea of the importance of design and its power to support sustainability goals
- work collaboratively on a specific use case gaining insights into the value of diverse stakeholder engagement in sustainable robot design.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Michel Joop van der Schoor – EU Robotics TG Sustainability, Germany
- Brigita Jurisic – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
- Oswald Bratu – PROFACTOR GmbH, Austria
- Christine Neuy - microTEC Südwest e.V.
- Simon Schläger - RWTH Aachen
- Anastasia Garbi - European Dynamics Luxembourg SA
- Esmaeil Najafi - Saxion University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
Moderators
- Michel Joop, van der Schoor – EU Robotics TG Sustainability, Germany
- Oswald Bratu – PROFACTOR GmbH, Austria
- Brigita Jurisic – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Innovation Network: EDIH Ai5production (http://www.ai5production.at)
Topic Group: TG on Sustainability, TG Socially Intelligent Robots and Societal Applications
Projects involved
- CIRCULOOS http://www.circuloos.eu
- FORGING http://www.forging-hub.eu
- SHEREC https://www.linkedin.com/company/sherec/
- SMART CIRCUIT Cleaning up the manufacturing industry - Interreg Central Europe (https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/smart-circuit/)
- RENEE https://renee-project.eu/
- EDIH Ai5production http://www.ai5production.at
- AI PRISM https://aiprism.eu/
- SOPRANO https://www.soprano-project.org/
Further information
Organisers
- Michel Joop van der Schoor (euRobotics TG Sustainability), micheljoop@gmail.com
- Brigita Jurisic (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory), brigita.jurisic@inl.int
- Oswald Bratuc (PROFACTOR GmbH), oswald.bratu@profactor.at
- Sharath Akkaladevi (PROFACTOR GmbH), Sharath.Akkaladevi@profactor.at
- Franziska Kirstein (Three Robotics), Franziska.Kirstein@gmail.com
- Simon Schläger (RWTH Aachen), Schlaeger@igmr.rwth-aachen.de
- Anastasia Garbi (European Dynamics Luxembourg SA), anastasia.garbi@eurodyn.com
- Amit Kumar Pandey (Rovial Space) amit@rovial.space
WS#55 CS4R - Cybersecurity for Robotics
Endika Gil Uriarte (Alias Robotics), Victor Mayoral Vilches (Alias Robotics) Unai Ayucar Carbajo Paul Zabalegui Landa.Room 25-27
iCal
Questions to be answered
Cybersecurity for robotics is a topic that is gaining major relevance for manufacturers, SIs and asset owners due to the advent of EU cybersecurity regulation. The session will provide practical cases where robot cybersecurity is fostered in different settings and provide insights on how to keep up with existing regulatory landscape.
Description
Cybersecurity for robotics is a topic that is gaining major relevance for manufacturers, SIs and asset owners due to the advent of EU cybersecurity regulation. The session will provide practical cases where robot cybersecurity is fostered in different settings and provide insights on how to keep up with existing regulatory landscape.
Organisation of the WS
WS will host a series on talks on robot cybersecurity
- 16:00 - 16:05 Introduction to WS and European cybersecurity regulation affecting robots (Endika Gil-Uriarte – ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain)
- 16:05 - 16:20 Enhancing Industrial Robot Security through Automated Testing (Lidia Salas & Martiño Crespo – ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain)
- 16:20 - 16:35 Real-Time Cybersecurity Monitoring for Industrial Robots (ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain)
- 16:35 - 16:50 Detecting Complex Cyberattacks on Industrial Environments (Lorenzo Fanari – ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain)
- 16:50 - 17:05 Enhancing Cyberresilience through the Resilmesh Project (Brian Lee – TUS, Ireland)
- 17:05 - 17:20 Cybersecurity Challenges in Autonomous Robots: The Link Between Explainability and Decision-Making Risks (Francisco J. Lera – ULE, Spain)
- 17:25 - Closing Open panel discussion with Q&A
Intended outcome
How to keep robots secure and compliant in line with EU cybersecurity standards and regulation. The attendees will learn about security regulation applicable to robots and existing enabling technologies and procedures.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Endika Gil-Uriarte - ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain
Lidia Salas - ALIAS ROBOTICS
Martiño Crespo - ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain
Paul Zabalegui Landa - ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain
Unai Ayucar Carbajo - ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain
Brian Lee - TUS, Ireland
Francisco Lera - ULE, Spain
Lorenzo Fanari - ALIAS ROBOTICS, Spain
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
- EU co-funded EIC accelerator HORIZON-EIC-2023-ACCELERATOR-01 (GA 101161136)
- EU co-funded RESILMESH (https://resilmesh.eu/)
Further information
Organisers
- Endika Gil Uriarte (Alias Robotics), endika@aliasrobotics.com
- Victor Mayoral Vilches (Alias Robotics)
- Unai Ayucar Carbajo
- Paul Zabalegui Landa.
WS#60 Bioinspired Robotics for Bridging Natural and Artificial Intelligence
Prof. Dr. Florian Röhrbein (Neurorobotics, Chemnitz University of Technology), Dr. Pablo Lanillos (Neuro AI and Robotics Group, Spanish National Research Council), Dr. Iñaki Fernández (Industrial and Digital Systems, Fundación CARTIF), Dr. Marvin Wright (Strathclyde University), Prof. Dr. Poramate Manoonpong (Vidyasirimedhi Institute VISTEC, Thailand & SDU, Denmark),Room 14-16
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Questions to be answered
- What are current trends at the intersection of neuroscience, embodied AI and robotics?
- What is the industry's perspective and how can we reduce existing gaps to academia?
Description
This workshop explores how bioinspired approaches can help to solve current society challenges, provide new solutions and open new markets. Experts from academia and industry will present their perspective and discuss with the audience. Topics presented will include:
- Insect-inspired Perception and Navigation
- On-line Adaptation as Challenge in AI Large Models for Robotics
- Green AI via Neuromorphic Computing
- Automated acquisition of diverse robot behaviors: from simulation to reality
A panel and moderated discussion involves the audience and will address questions such as how to benefit from current push on GenAI and large Foundation Models to bridge physical/hardware and brain/software parts through bioinspiration. We will talk about the European start-up landscape in bio-inspired robotics and also help identify potential funding schemes relevant for the area of the topic group.
Organisation of the WS
- 16:00 - 16:05 Welcome & Ice-breaking Event
- 16:05 - 16:10 Update about Topic Group activities
- 16:10 - 16:55 Interactive Presentations
- 16:55 - 17:15 Panel
- 17:15 - 17:20 Conclusion & next steps
Intended outcome
- Understand the state-of-the-art of biorobots and identify new opportunities
- Networking in brain-inspired AI and biorobotics between academia and industry
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Prof. Dr. Florian Röhrbein - TU Chemnitz, Germany
- Dr. Pablo Lanillos - Spanish National Research Council, Spain
- Dr. Iñaki Fernández - Fundación CARTIF, Spain
- Achim Fischer - Head of Development at FESTO, Germany
- Prof. Kaspar Althoefer - Queen Mary University of London, U.K.
- Prof. Richard Duro - University of Coruña, Spain
- Prof. Stéphane Doncieux - Sorbonne University, France
- Mike Mangan - VP of Research at OPTERAN, Edinburgh, U.K.
- Dr Liang Li - MPI Animal Behaviour, Germany
- Prof. Dr. Yulia Sandamirskaya - ZHAW, Switzerland
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG bio-inspired robotics
Projects involved
Pathfinder Awareness Inside EIC project METATOOL
Further information
Organisers
- Prof. Dr. Florian Röhrbein (Neurorobotics, Chemnitz University of Technology), florian.roehrbein@informatik.tu-chemnitz.de
- Dr. Pablo Lanillos (Neuro AI and Robotics Group, Spanish National Research Council), p.lanillos@csic.es
- Dr. Iñaki Fernández (Industrial and Digital Systems, Fundación CARTIF), inafer@cartif.es
- Dr. Marvin Wright (Strathclyde University), marvin.wright@strath.ac.uk
- Prof. Dr. Poramate Manoonpong (Vidyasirimedhi Institute VISTEC, Thailand & SDU, Denmark), poma@mmmi.sdu.dk
18:00 - 18:45 Award Ceremony
No workshops in this session.
20:00 - 23:30 Evening Day 2 - Banquet
No workshops in this session.
Thursday 27 Mar 2025
08:30 - 09:50 Sessions Morning Day 3 -slot 1
WS#16 TeleRobotics 360: Exploring Innovations from Healthcare to Industry
Dr. Eng. Antonio Di Tecco (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), http://www.ditecco.it/ Alessandro Genua (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), Karol Janik (Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd)Room 25-27
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Questions to be answered
This workshop provides an overview of recent advances in telerobotics across healthcare and industrial applications, addressing:
- How is AI enhancing autonomy and control in telerobotic systems?
- What are the main technical challenges (e.g., latency, haptics, safety) in large-scale deployment?
- How can telerobotics be leveraged in manufacturing, logistics, and hazardous environments?
- What ethical concerns arise in medical telerobotics (e.g., data security, patient privacy)?
- What infrastructure advancements (e.g., 5G/6G) are necessary for real-time remote operations?
- What skills and training are needed for professionals working with AI-driven telerobotics?
By attending this workshop, the participant will:
- Learn from leading experts.
- Engage with cutting-edge innovations AI-enhanced robotic systems, and industrial applications that are revolutionizing the way we interact with technology and reshape industries.
- Gain practical insights into overcoming the technical challenges of telerobotics, such as latency, real-time control, and infrastructure needs, directly from the experts solving these issues.
- Be part of discussions on the ethical and legal implications of telerobotics, from patient privacy in remote surgeries to accountability and security in industrial contexts.
- Discover cross-sector opportunities and future trends in telerobotics, helping you understand how these technologies will impact healthcare and industry in the coming decade.
- Gain experience in telerobotics through a live and practical exhibition where they observe and interact with teleoperation activities in real-time, showcasing the technology’s capabilities in healthcare and industrial settings.
Beyond theoretical discussion, this workshop offers actionable insights and real-world applications from healthcare and industrial robotics experts. Moreover, the practical demonstration gives you a hands-on understanding of how telerobotic systems function in real-world scenarios. If you are looking to understand the full spectrum of telerobotic innovation and its potential, this is the workshop you cannot afford to miss.
Description
This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary perspective on telerobotics, spanning applications from healthcare to industrial tasks. Historically, many have questioned whether robots will fully replace humans in the workplace. However, introducing teleoperated robots offers a different solution: why must robots completely replace humans when they can collaborate with them instead? Rather than replacing human workers, robots can share tasks in a cooperative environment—through human-robot interaction using collaborative robots (cobots)—or operate remotely in the case of teleoperated robotics.
With insights from renowned speakers and panelists, the workshop will delve into the latest medical and industrial telerobotics breakthroughs. Following a brief introduction by the organizers, the first invited speaker will explore the current role of teleoperated robots in healthcare. This session will discuss how these robots assist doctors today, highlighting the benefits of remote surgery, as well as the challenges in achieving precision and meeting the stringent requirements of medical applications. The focus will also be on industrial applications, examining how Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) transform telerobotics in manufacturing and beyond. As AI and ML have become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the workshop will discuss their growing influence on industrial telerobotics and how these technologies shape the future of automation and collaboration in diverse sectors.
Organisation of the WS
- 8:30 - 8:40 Welcome & Introduction: Welcome by moderators, outline of workshop objectives, and speaker introductions
- 8:40 - 9:20 Speaker Presentations:
- Presentation 1: Telerobotics in Surgical Robotics and Assistance for People with Disabilities (Prof. Alin Albu-Schäffer – Technische Universität München & DLR, Germany)
- Presentation 2: AI-Driven Telerobotics for Autonomy and Perception (Prof. Sven Behnke – Universität Bonn, Germany)
- Presentation 3: Telerobotics for Senior Healthcare: Enhancing Remote Assistance and Rehabilitation through Safe Human-Robot Interaction (Dr. Abdeldjallil Naceri – MIRMI, Technische Universität München, Germany)
- Presentation 4: Safety and Usability in Telemanipulated Human-Robot Interactions (M.Sc. Stephan Andreas Schwarz – Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany)
- Presentation 5: Wearable Haptics & Exoskeletons for Remote Interaction (Dr. Francesco Porcini – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy)
- Presentation 6: Leveraging Autonomy in Robot Teleoperation (Dr. Mario Selvaggio – PRISMA Lab, Naples, Italy)
- 9:20 - 9:45 Interactive Discussion
Q&A with the audience and expert panel to address key challenges and future directions in telerobotics - 9:45 - 9:50 Conclusion: Summary of key insights, closing remarks, and invitation to network
Participants will have an active role throughout the workshop. They will be called upon to:
- Listen carefully to the speakers' presentations, taking notes and formulating questions.
- Interact with other participants and speakers during the break and Q&A session.
- Explore the latest frontiers of telerobotics, discovering new applications and technologies.
- Connect with researchers and industry experts and expand their network of contacts.
Intended outcome
Attendees will gain:
- A comprehensive understanding of the latest innovations in telerobotics.
- Insights into technical challenges and solutions in AI-driven teleoperation.
- Awareness of ethical, legal, and infrastructural concerns in medical and industrial applications.
- Opportunities for networking and potential collaborations.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers & Panelists
- Prof. Alin Albu-Schäffer – Technische Universität München & DLR, Germany
- Prof. Sven Behnke – Universität Bonn, Germany
- Dr. Abdeldjallil Naceri – MIRMI, Technische Universität München, Germany
- Dr. Francesco Porcini – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Dr. Mario Selvaggio – PRISMA Lab, Italy
- M.Sc. Stephan Andreas Schwarz – Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany
Moderators
- Dr. Eng. Antonio Di Tecco – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Alessandro Genua – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Karol Janik – Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd, United Kingdom
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- Topics group:
- Tele Eco Sound
- Human-Machine, Human-Computer, and Human-Robot Interaction
- Medical and Industrial Requirements (Technicals and Ethics)
- Robotic Control Issues
- Mechanics and Mechanical Architecture
- Computer Science and AI for Healthcare and Industrial Applications
Projects involved
- LEARN - muLtimodal Edge computing-bAsed weaRable exoskeletoNs for assistance in daily life: https://www.learn-prin.eu/
Further information
Research centers links:
- Institute of Mechanical Intelligence, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies:
http://www.santannapisa.it/it/istituto/intelligenza-meccanica
- Prof. Sven Behnke’s profile on Universität Bonn:http://www.ais.uni-bonn.de/behnke/
- https://www.mirmi.tum.de/mirmi/people/naceri-abdeldjallil/
- https://www.professoren.tum.de/en/albu-schaeffer-alin
- https://humanrobotinteraction.santannapisa.it/teams/eng-francesco-porcini/
Organisers
- Dr. Eng. Antonio Di Tecco (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), http://www.ditecco.it/
- Alessandro Genua (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies),
- Karol Janik (Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd)
WS#21 Adoption of robotics in agriculture: challenges and opportunities for sustainable development
Labbani-Igbida Ouiddad (University of Limoges), ouiddad.labbani- Eric Pernot (Aquitaine Robotics), Matteo Matteucci (Politecnico di Milano), Raffaele Giaffreda (Fondazione Bruno Kessler)Room 20
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Questions to be answered
- What are the key technological, economic, and social barriers preventing the widespread adoption of robotics in agriculture?
- How can agricultural robotic products scale up the market?
- How can robotics enhance new farming models and support sustainable agricultural practices?
- How can the integration of AI and Robotics foster the agroecological transition while maintaining economic feasibility?
- What role do government policies and industry stakeholders play in facilitating the deployment of robotics in agriculture?
Description
The adoption of robotics in agriculture holds significant promise for addressing many of the challenges faced by modern farming, such as labor shortages, the need for increased productivity, and the demand for more sustainable farming practices as required by the EU Farm2Fork program.
Agricultural robotics, including autonomous tractors and drones, smart implements, and precision farming tools, can revolutionize how crops are managed, harvested, and processed, leading to greater efficiency and reduced environmental impact. By enabling precision farming practices, robotics optimizes resource use, such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides, thereby minimizing chemical runoff, preserving soil health, and promoting biodiversity. Moreover, agricultural robotics supports sustainable methods like no-till farming and agroforestry by automating complex tasks and labor-intensive activities, making sustainable practices economically viable for farmers.
However, several barriers still impede the widespread integration of robotics into agricultural systems and consequently their massive adoption. Technological limitations, such as the need for robots to operate in complex, unpredictable outdoor environments, represent a key challenge. Nevertheless, socio-economical factors, such as the high initial cost of robotics systems and the lack of specialized skills among farm operators, play an active role in slowing down adoption rates. Furthermore, taking new products to market requires proper certification and validation procedures not yet fully in place for agricultural robots.
The workshop topics include, but are not limited to:
- The validation needs for getting agricultural robotics products on the market, including agronomic validation
- The current EU funded services for validating solutions in the Agrifood domain (i.e. AgrifoodTEF services)
- The implications of AI Act and the new Machine Regulation towards agricultural machinery
- Standardisation / Certification in Agricultural Robotics (i.e. Sandboxes)
Organisation of the WS
- 8:30 - 8:35 Welcome by organizers, workshop objectives, and context for agricultural robot market adoption
- 8:35 - 8:50 AgrifoodTEF services to support the deployment of AI and Robotics solutions (Raffaele Giaffreda – Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Italy)
- 8:50 - 9:05 How robotics is transforming agriculture to foster sustainable practices? Challenges and case studies (Ouiddad Labbani-I. – XLIM Research Institute, University of Limoges, France)
- 9:05 - 9:25 Adoption barriers to robotics by machines manufacturers and end users (Erik Pekkeriet – Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands)
- 9:25 - 9:50 Interactive Discussion: Moderated Q&A and open debate addressing technology readiness, economic aspects, usability, robustness, and adaptability of agricultural robots
Intended outcome
The WS questions the adoption and market integration of advanced robotics-powered agricultural systems aligned with sustainable development goals. It intends to create an ecosystem where research and development efforts are aligned with the practical needs of farmers, identify fundamental issues and key challenges, and establish lines of thought to tackle these questions from multiple perspectives: agronomy/scientific/innovation/end-user/market- oriented.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Raffaele Giaffreda – Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Italy
- Ouiddad Labbani-I. – XLIM Research Institute, University of Limoges, France
- Erik Pekkeriet – Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands
Moderators
- Matteo Matteucci – Politecnico di Milano, Italy
- Eric Pernot - Aquitaine Robotics, France
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG on Agricultural Robots: https://eu-robotics.net/agriculture-topic-group/
Projects involved
- AgrifoodTEF https://www.agrifoodtef.eu/
- ANR ROSE (Robotique et capteurs au service d'Ecophyto) Challenge (https://www.challenge-rose.fr/en/overview/)
- NINSAR (New ItiNerarieS for Agroecology using cooperative Robots) PEPR flagship project (https://project.inria.fr/ninsar/objectives/)
- GORT (Generic agnostic robots and data for massive technological
- agroecological transformations) France 2030 project (Défi Transfert Robotique) https://gort.pages.xlim.fr/web/index.html
- NxtGen Hightech Agrifood https://nxtgenhightech.nl/agrifood/
Further information
Organisers
- Labbani-Igbida Ouiddad (University of Limoges), ouiddad.labbani-igbida@unilim.fr
- Eric Pernot (Aquitaine Robotics), Eric.Pernot@aquitaine-robotics.fr
- Matteo Matteucci (Politecnico di Milano), matteo.matteucci@polimi.it
- Raffaele Giaffreda (Fondazione Bruno Kessler) rgiaffreda@fbk.eu
WS#26 European Innovation structures and networks
Iddo Bante, University of Twente (Netherland), Agata Suwala (Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC))Room 11-13
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Questions to be answered
Goal of the workshop is to inspire, discuss and deepen joint understanding of the European Innovation instruments and insights in how they can help SME’s with their robotics technology-based innovation and market uptake.
Important questions are: What is the role of the innovation structures and networks? How can the challenge of technology transfer be addressed?
Description
This workshop explores how European innovation instruments and networks drive the adoption of robotics technologies across Europe. The session highlights best practices and initiatives, emphasizing impact, scalability, and cross-sector applications.
Organisation of the WS
8:30 - 8:35 Opening: Christophe Leroux, CEA, France
8:35 - 8:45 Overview European Instruments: Iddo Bante, University of Twente, Netherlands
8:45 - 9:15 Short Inspiring Pitches (5 min each)
- EDIH Test-before-Invest: Christian Wogerer, EDIH AI5Production, Austria
- TEF Test and Experimentation Facilities: Raffaele Giaffreda, AgrifoodTEF, Italy
- SME Funding: Jesus Contreras, EIT Digital
- Regional innovation with EDIH: Ernest Clark Fuller, EDIH Odense, Denmark
- Innovation Networks of euRobotics: Francoise Siepel, DIH-HERO, Netherlands
9:15 - 9:40 Panel session (all presenters; moderator Agate Suwala) with audience involvement to discuss:
- What does and what doesn’t work
- How European instruments can support technology transfer challenges to enable commercialization of robotics technologies,
- The interactions between European instruments and regional/national robotics communities and how to organize the interactions between these networks,
- What other European instruments are needed?
9:40 - 9:45 Closing: Christophe Leroux, CEA, France
Intended outcome
Better understanding of European instruments and how they can foster innovation and adoption of robotics technology.
Results of the Workshop will be used as input for Task 4.4 of the European ADRA-e CSA project.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers & Panelists:
- Iddo Bante – University of Twente, Netherlands
- Christophe Leroux – CEA, France
- Christian Wogerer – EDIH AI5Production, Austria
- Jesus Contreras - EIT Digital
- Ernest Clark Fuller – EDIH Odense, Denmark
- Francoise Siepel – DIH-HERO, Netherlands
- Agata Suwala – Manufacturing Technology Centre, UK
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
ADRA Topic Group Innovation, Uptake and Deployment of AI-Data-Robotics technologies, TG Entrepreneurship, TG Healthcare,
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- Iddo Bante, University of Twente (Netherland), I.Bante@utwente.nl
- Agata Suwala (Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)) agata.suwala@the-mtc.org
WS#33 Application of robotics in efficient and sustainable construction and deconstruction. AI and Robotics in Construction
Mr. Antonio Alonso-Cepeda, Innovation Manager at ACCIONA Construction, Dr. Jason Rambach, Team Leader Spatial Sensing and Machine Perception, DFKI, Dr. Dimitrios Giakoumis, Principal Researcher in Service Robotics, CERTH-ITI, Mr. Lluis Bonet-Ortuño, Researcher from CDEI-UPC,Room 14-16
iCal
Questions to be answered
This workshop will explore the role of robotics in advancing sustainable construction and deconstruction practices. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from the latest innovations in construction automation, digital twin technology, and material identification within the circular economy framework. The session will be structured around real-world case studies and shared experiences to foster collaborative insights and a roadmap for future developments.
- Current State of construction robotics and cluster projects
- Biggest challenges and achievements from the piloting phase of BEEYONDERS, HumanTech, RobetArme and Discover
- Full automation vs. Human-robot collaboration in construction
- How the AI advances are influencing Construction robotics
- EIC and funding opportunities in robotics
Description
Key topics:
- Challenges in construction (introduction)
- Advancements in construction automation
- Application of AI in road construction and maintenance
- Digital twin technology for deconstruction
- Robotics in material identification
- Sharing of experiences and case studies
- Synergies among workshop participants
Contributions from BEEYONDERS:
- Current state of the project (5 mins)
- Results from the Building Construction pilot: Final outcomes and user evaluation results from the deployment in a real construction environment (5 mins)
- Technical Challenges and Advantages of Exoskeleton Development in Construction (5 min)
Contributions from HumanTech:
- Current state of the project (5 mins)
- Pilot V (Robotic Mastic Application): Final outcomes and user evaluation results from real construction environment deployment (5 mins)
Contributions from RobetArme:
- Current state of the project (5 mins)
- Results from the first RobetArme shotcreting testbed deployment (5 mins)
Contributions from Discover:
- Current state of the project (5 mins)
- Technical Session: Exploring Discover Project Technology (5 min)
Contributions from EIC:
- Technical Session: EIC Pathfinder Challenge 2025: “Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic unstructured construction environments” (5 min)
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 08:35 Introduction
- 08:35 - 08:55 Industry Insights and Project Overview — Overview of trends, challenges, and innovative projects in the construction and deconstruction sector:
- BEEYONDERS
- HumanTech
- RobetArme
- Discover
- 08:55 - 09:25 Thematic and Technical Sessions: Focused presentations addressing specific challenges and showcasing project results
- Results from the Building Construction pilot (TBD): Final outcomes and user evaluation results from real construction environment deployment
- Pilot V (Robotic Mastic Application): Final outcomes and user evaluation results from real construction environment deployment
- Results from the first RobetArme shotcreting testbed deployment
- Technical Session: Exploring Discover Project Technology
- Technical Session: Challenges and Advantages of Exoskeleton
- Technical Session: EIC Pathfinder Challenge 2025: “Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic unstructured construction environments”
- 09:25 - 09:45 Guided Discussion with industry experts and stakeholders. Topics include automation priorities and a roadmap for future actions
- 09:45 - 09:50 Wrap-up: Summary of key insights, formulation of a prioritized work list for automating the construction sector, and networking invitation
Intended outcome
- List of priorities to automate the construction sector: Definition of key technologies for automation to address current challenges, along with the maturity level of each – a prioritized work list.
- Roadmap of priorities and key objectives: A strategic plan to advance robotics in construction/deconstruction. A list of manual operations carried out by the road sectors which is needed to be conducted automatically via AI.
- Increase participation in Construction Topic group and Tech4Construction cluster.
- Increase awareness on the current state of play in Construction Robotics research and respective real pilot testing outcomes
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers:
● Antonio Alonso-Cepeda (ACCIONA) – coordinator of Project BEEYONDERS (speaker-panelist)
○ Dr. Goretti Arias-Ferreiro – BEEYONDERS participant (ACCIONA) presenting pilot test results.
○ Dr. Christian Di Natali – BEEYONDERS Technical Partner (IIT) presenting an exoskeleton technical session.
○ Dr. Francisco Javier Pérez-Grau– BEEYONDERS Technical Partner (CATEC), expert in the development of advanced perception technologies for aerial robots, will take part in the roundtable.
● Dr. Jason Rambach (DFKI) – coordinator of Project HumanTech (speaker-panelist)
○ Fabian Kaufmann– HumanTech Pilot V representative.
● Dr. Dimitrios Giakoumis (CERTH) – coordinator of Project Robetarme
● Lluís Bonet-Ortuño from CDEI-UPC presenting DISCOVER Project
● Other people from Topic Group Construction: Franc Mouwen from European Innovation Council EIC
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- Topic Group construction (https://eu-robotics.net/construction-robotics-topic-group/ )
- Tech4Construction cluster
Projects involved
BEEYONDERS https://beeyonders.eu/
HumanTech https://humantech-horizon.eu/
RobetArme https://www.robetarme-project.eu/
DISCOVER Project: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101129909
Further information
Organisers
- Mr. Antonio Alonso-Cepeda, Innovation Manager at ACCIONA Construction, antonio.alonso.cepeda@acciona.com
- Dr. Jason Rambach, Team Leader Spatial Sensing and Machine Perception, DFKI, Jason.Rambach@dfki.de
- Dr. Dimitrios Giakoumis, Principal Researcher in Service Robotics, CERTH-ITI, dgiakoum@iti.gr
- Mr. Lluis Bonet-Ortuño, Researcher from CDEI-UPC, lluis.bonet.ortuno@upc.edu
WS#41 Towards next generation robotics: Generative AI use cases, challenges and opportunities
Andrea Orlandini (CNR-ISTC), Aksel A. Transeth (SINTEF), Magí Dalmau-Moreno (EURECAT)Silchersaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
- What are the promising, near-term use cases for Generative AI, possibly in combination with other AI models, in robotics across sectors such as inspection, maintenance, assistive robotics, and manufacturing?
- What are the latest research findings, opportunities, risks, and challenges with Generative AI in robotics?
- In which areas should Europe lead in the field of Generative AI for robotics, and why?
- Given the hype around LLMs and Generative AI, what is the realistic potential for impact, and should the focus on these technologies be balanced with other AI advancements?
Description
This workshop aims to provide a foundational understanding of the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI) in robotics by exploring current and emerging opportunities, practical applications, and challenges. With both academic and industrial perspectives, we’ll examine high-impact use cases across sectors such as inspection and maintenance, assistive robotics, and manufacturing, where GenAI is already proving valuable. Attendees will gain insight into the latest advancements in robotic capabilities powered by GenAI and complementary AI models, including foundation models for grasping, LLM-based code generation, and mission planning that combines LLMs with classical AI techniques. Discussions will also address the specific risks and challenges posed by GenAI in robotics, from data privacy to hardware constraints, to better understand the limitations of these technologies.
Through practical insights from key research projects, including TRIFFID, JARVIS, and PEER, this workshop will guide stakeholders on how GenAI is shaping the European robotics landscape. The session outcomes will be particularly valuable to end-users, suppliers, and researchers, providing them with insights into near- and medium-term high-value industry use cases and actionable strategies for cost-effective, safe, and efficient GenAI implementations in robotics. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of both the potential and the obstacles associated with GenAI in robotics, including open software and hardware development challenges. A summary report will capture the key discussions and insights, contributing to broader strategic efforts in ADRA, euRobotics, and related networks.
Organisation of the WS
- 08:30 - 09:20 Presentations/Statements (50 minutes): A series of 7-8 minute talks on the workshop's key questions and insights from real-world GenAI use cases in robotics, presented by speakers from industry and academia
- Talk about Challenges in GenAI for Robotics from euRobin project (Bruno Siciliano — Uni Naples, Italy)
- From Surface to Depth: Generating Synthetic Underwater Images with Stable diffusion for perception for robotic underwater intervention (Ahmed K. Mohammed — SINTEF, Norway)
- Formal methods combined with GenAI for task planning (Marco Roveri — Uni Trento, Italy)
- Talk about Generative AI in Manufacturing (Sotiris Makris — LMS Patras University, Greece)
- LLM and Autonomous robots: Potential use-cases in the energy industry (Svein Ivar Sagatun — Equinor, Norway)
- (M)LLM reasoning for robots in open worlds (Silvia Izquierdo — Eurecat, Spain)
- LLMs to control large robots (Nima Enayati — ABB, Germany)
- 09:20 - 09:50 Plenary Discussion with active participation from all attendees (with live polling and audience input on key questions)
Main outcomes and reasons to attend for stakeholders categorized as end-users (E), suppliers (S) and researchers (R):
- Insights into near- and medium term high-value industry use cases to steer research, development and innovation efforts (S, R).
- Clear understanding of what opportunities GenAI & robotics can create in terms of innovations to achieve cost reduction, HSE and efficiency in use cases and new products (E,S), and what are the challenges and risks.
- Issues limiting a faster uptake and advance of GenAI in Robotics, identifying what are the open challenges, both in software and hardware development.
We will produce a summary of the workshop and share presentations in the cases possible. The inputs from the workshop could be used as inputs to other documents, e.g., strategy work in ADRA and euRobotics, and efforts in other organizations and networks.
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- Bruno Siciliano — Uni Naples, Italy
- Ahmed K. Mohammed — SINTEF, Norway
- Marco Roveri — Uni Trento, Italy
- Sotiris Makris — LMS Patras University, Greece
- Svein Ivar Sagatun — Equinor, Norway
- Silvia Izquierdo — Eurecat, Spain
- Nima Enayati — ABB, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Inspection and maintenance euRobotics topic group,
RIMA Alliance (euRobotics Innovation Network)
TG on Artificial Intelligence and Cognition in Robotics (euRobotics Topic Group)
Also collaboration with the ADRA topic group on I&M.
Projects involved
- TRIFFID (auTonomous Robotic aId For increasing FIrst responDers efficiency) G.A. 101168042 https://triffid-project.eu/
- JARVIS, https://www.jarvis-project.eu/
- PEER, https://peer-ai.eu/en/
- Intelliman, https://intelliman-project.eu/
Further information
Organisers
- Andrea Orlandini (CNR-ISTC), andrea.orlandini@istc.cnr.it
- Aksel A. Transeth (SINTEF), aksel.a.transeth@sintef.no
- Magí Dalmau-Moreno (EURECAT) magi.dalmau@eurecat.org
WS#61 Democratizing safe human-robot collaborations on industrial shop floors
Roland Behrens (Fraunhofer IFF), Theo Jacobs (Fraunhofer IPA), Clara Fischer (JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS), Cecilia Scoccia (Università Politecnica delle Marche, ilabs), Robin Kirschner (TU München) robin-Room 22-24
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Questions to be answered
- How can intelligent tools support rapid and simple implementation of safe human-robot collaboration?
- How can AI, such as ChatGPT, be integrated into tools for supporting and guiding users with limited safety expertise?
- Why is it essential to consider worker-specific characteristics (such as age, gender, and disabilities) in ensuring the safety of human-robot collaboration in industrial settings?
- How can user-specific needs be considered in the safe design of human-robot collaboration on the industrial shop floor with the help of digital risk assessment tools?
Description
The democratization of safe human-robot collaboration involves efficiently and simply designing risk assessment processes while considering the diverse needs of various user groups. The following points will be discussed in this workshop:
- Robotics for everyone: Addressing worker’s diversity in the safe design of Human-Robot-Collaboration (age, gender, disabilities)
- Upcoming challenges of robot safety: Need for fast reconfigurability, easy adaptation to new tasks, adaptable or automated CE
- Potential solution: Use of intelligent software tools that guide users through risk assessment and risk reduction, automatically identify optimal safety parameters, facilitate a dynamic electronic CE certification, and also provide methods for evaluating safety functions that include AI
- Explore currently existing approaches and tools and discuss future potential; identify requirements for further development of such tools from end-user perspective
- Robotics for inclusion ·Diversity in Robot Safety: Integrating gender and diversity aspects in current safety requirements and design guidelines for HRC
- Hazards in human-robot collaborations: studies on new injury thresholds, key learnings on the diversity of injury severity
- Robotic solutions for worker support: relieve overstraining, prevent work-related illnesses, and compensate for age-related changes or disabilities, exoskeletons in production
- Semi-automatic and user-oriented safety: how existing tools can be further developed to meet the diversity in industrial shop floors
Organisation of the WS
- 8:30 - 8:40 WS Introduction
- 8:40 - 9:10 Pitch Presentations:
- Topic 1: Making Risk Assessment Simple and Fast with Intelligent Software Tools
(Theo Jacobs – Fraunhofer IPA, Germany) - Topic 2: Addressing Worker’s Diversity in the Safe Design of Human-Robot Collaboration (Clara Fischer – JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS, Austria)
- Topic 3: Practical Applicability of Considering Diversity in Safe Human-Robot Collaboration through Digital Risk Assessment (Roland Behrens – Fraunhofer IFF, Germany)
- 9:10 - 9:30 Interactive Discussion: Attendees are divided into 3 breakout sessions—one per topic—to discuss and elaborate on the presentations using the Start-Stop-Continue method
- 9:30 - 9:50 Final Summary: The outcomes from the breakout sessions are shared and discussed with all participants
Intended outcome
- Get feedback from the market
- Dissemination (state of the art, ongoing research and feedback received in the WS)
- Awareness (Risks, Safety, users needs, diversity, acceptance)
- Build project consortiums / new contacts for consortiums
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers:
- Theo Jacobs – Fraunhofer IPA, Germany
- Clara Fischer – JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS, Austria
- Roland Behrens – Fraunhofer IFF, Germany
- Cecilia Scoccia – Università Politecnica delle Marche, ilabs, Italy
- Rasmus Adler – Fraunhofer IESE, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TG safety
Projects involved
- SAFEIVERSE: Integrating diversity and inclusion into the design of safe human-robot collaboration - Project of JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS (Austria) - https://www.joanneum.at/robotics/en/projects/safeiverse/
Further information
Organisers
- Roland Behrens (Fraunhofer IFF), roland.behrens@iff.fraunhofer.de
- Theo Jacobs (Fraunhofer IPA), theo.jacobs@ipa.fraunhofer.de
- Clara Fischer (JOANNEUM RESEARCH ROBOTICS), clara.fischer@joanneum.at
- Cecilia Scoccia (Università Politecnica delle Marche, ilabs), c.scoccia@staff.univpm.it
- Robin Kirschner (TU München) robin-jeanne.kirschner@tum.de
10:00 - 10:40 Keynote Day 3
WS#83 ERF 2025 Keynote 3
euRobotics, Fraunhofer-IPA and partnersHegelsaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
Description
See: http://erf2025.eu/keynote-speakers/
Organisation of the WS
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut - Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg
- David Reger - CEO Neura Robotics
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- euRobotics,
- Fraunhofer-IPA and partners
10:40 - 11:10 Coffee Break
No workshops in this session.
11:10 - 12:30 Sessions Morning Day 3 -slot 2
WS#12 AI in Robot Safety: Methods, Tools, Requirements, and Standardization
Magnus Albert (SICK AG), Saeed Abdolshah (KUKA GmbH), José Saenz (Fraunhofer IFF), Björn Matthias (ABB), Debora Clever (ABB & TU Darmstadt), Michael Rathmair (Joanneum Research), Paolo Barattini (Standardisation TG), Roland Behrens (Fraunhofer IFF), Patrick Courtney (Laboratory Robotics TG), Volker Schmirgel (KUKA GmbH)Room 25-27
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Questions to be answered
This workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore the cutting-edge intersection of AI, safety and robotics, a critical and rapidly evolving area. We will dive deep into the challenges and solutions around integrating AI methods into safety functions, providing not only a review of foundational concepts but also discussion on applying AI to safety systems. This workshop is ideal for professionals looking to stay ahead in implementing AI-driven safety in robotics, providing insights into both the current landscape and future developments in safety standardization.
In addition, this workshop brings a unique opportunity to learn from the experience of experts in the automotive industry, a pioneer in applying AI to safety-critical systems. Attendees will hear firsthand about best practices and real-world challenges in the use of AI for safety, with insights directly applicable to robotics. Beyond expert presentations, participants will also engage in a dynamic, interactive panel discussion and network with fellow professionals, fostering collaboration and shared learning in this fast-growing field.
Description
The workshop will start with a brief introduction followed by presentations from three experts who will discuss different aspects of AI and safety, sharing their insights and experiences. These talks will cover key topics to enhance understanding of AI in robotic safety, and essential terminology such as safety, adaptive behavior, pre-emptive behavior, and artificial intelligence. The presentations will also include an overview of safety fundamentals, focusing on the key pillars of safety functions—hardware, software, and potentially data as an additional element for AI-driven methods. Topics such as simulation, AI safety, and AI applications in the automotive industry—and the lessons robotics can draw from them—will also be covered.
Following the talks, a panel discussion will explore critical questions on how AI techniques can integrate with existing safety frameworks and what new features are necessary for AI's successful incorporation into safety practices. The discussion will also touch on the Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF) and functional safety, highlighting the distinction between functional deficiencies and system malfunctions in robotics. Though initially developed in the automotive industry, these concepts could be highly valuable for robotic systems with AI integration. Additional points of focus include the requirements for high-quality datasets, methods to assess their reliability, and the lifecycle of data-driven models used in safety functions. Verification and Validation of these models will be a key topic, along with discussions on how data-driven approaches could shape the future of robotic safety.
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:50 Expert talks
- Presentation 1: AI Safety: What can robotics learn from the automotive industry (Prof. Simon Burton – University of York, UK)
- Presentation 2: Future of Robotics: Simulation & Aspects of AI Safety (Dr. Magnus Albert – SICK AG, Germany)
- Presentation 3: Data-driven Methods – Challenges for Safety (Dr. Björn Matthias – ABB, Germany)
- 11:50 - 12:30 Panel Discussion/Fishbowl Discussion and Q&A: An interactive session where speakers and moderators engage with the audience, discussing challenges, sharing insights, and exploring opportunities in AI for robot safety
Intended outcome
- Gain experience from different fields to be applied in robotics
- Form a network and strengthen TG safety, TG industrial robotics, TG Standardisation and TG Laboratory Robotics connections for future discussions and events
- Plan writing a white paper starting with harmonizing AI vocabulary
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Moderators
- Saeed Abdolshah — KUKA GmbH, Germany
- José Saenz — Fraunhofer IFF, Germany
Speakers
- Prof. Simon Burton – University of York, UK
- Dr. Magnus Albert – SICK AG, Germany
- Dr. Björn Matthias – ABB, Germany
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
TGs: Safety, Standardisation, Industrial Robotics, Laboratory Robotics
Projects involved
Further information
One paper from each of speakers
Organisers
- Magnus Albert (SICK AG), magnus.albert@sick.de
- Saeed Abdolshah (KUKA GmbH), saeed.abdolshah@kuka.com
- José Saenz (Fraunhofer IFF), jose.saenz@iff.fraunhofer.de
- Björn Matthias (ABB), bjoern.matthias@de.abb.com
- Debora Clever (ABB & TU Darmstadt), debora.clever@de.abb.com
- Michael Rathmair (Joanneum Research), michael.rathmair@joanneum.at
- Paolo Barattini (Standardisation TG), paolo.barattini@yahoo.it
- Roland Behrens (Fraunhofer IFF), roland.behrens@iff.fraunhofer.de
- Patrick Courtney (Laboratory Robotics TG), patrick.courtney@tec-connection.com
- Volker Schmirgel (KUKA GmbH) volker.schmirgel@kuka.com
WS#18 Applications for Humanoid Robots in Europe
Ramez Awad (Fraunhofer IPA), Matthias Reichenbach (Mercedes-Benz AG), Francesco Ferro (PAL Robotics)Hegelsaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
- What are the potential applications of humanoid robots across various industries?
- What experiences and lessons have been learned from the first field trials, particularly regarding early prototypes in laboratories and production environments?
- What current capabilities do humanoid robots possess, and how can they be demonstrated?
- What challenges must be addressed for the widespread adoption of humanoid robots?
- What are the specific needs to implement humanoid robots effectively?
Description
Join us for an insightful workshop that explores the exciting potential applications of humanoid robots across various industries. We will showcase their current capabilities and engage in a discussion about the challenges that must be overcome for successful widespread implementation.
Key topics include:
- Overview of potential applications for humanoid robots
- Demonstration of existing capabilities
- Challenges and barriers to widespread adoption
- Insights into the needs of system integrators for effective implementation
- Experiences and lessons learned from initial field trials
- Examination of potential applications and challenges associated with early prototypes in laboratory settings and production environments
This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of both the opportunities and obstacles in the realm of humanoid robotics. Through alignment with its partner workshop “The New Frontiers of Advanced Humanoid and Legged Robots” (WS#17), the two workshops will cover both the technological and application/market aspects of humanoid robots.
Organisation of the WS
- 11:10 - 11:15 Introduction to workshop (4NE-1, Neura)
- 11:15 - 11:30 Presentation about Applications in Automotive Industry by Mercedes Benz AG and Apptornik
- 11:30 - 11:45 Presentation about Applications in Aerospace Industry by PAL Robotics
- 11:45 - 12:00 Presentation about Applications in Health Care and Domestic Services by Neura
- 12:00 - 12:30 Discussion Panel moderated by 4NE-1 and audience Q&A
Intended outcome
- Insights into potential applications for humanoid robots and the challenges still to overcome.
- A realistic timeline for widespread adaptation
Speakers, Panelists, etc
People Actively Involved
- Stephen Travers – Head of Digitalization & Production System, Mercedes-Benz AG, Germany
- Parker Conroy – Director of Product, Apptronik, JSA
- David Reger – CEO, NEURA Robotics GmbH, Germany
- Francesco Ferro – PAL Robotics, Spain
Moderator
- Neura humanoid robot (4NE-1)
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- Not applicable
Projects involved
- Not applicable
Further information
- Not applicable
Organisers
- Ramez Awad (Fraunhofer IPA),
- Matthias Reichenbach (Mercedes-Benz AG),
- Francesco Ferro (PAL Robotics)
WS#43 Data Spaces for the development of AI and robotic applications
Kosmas Tsiakas (CERTH-ITI), Dr. Dimitrios Giakoumis (CERTH-ITI), Ioannis Mariolis (CERTH-ITI), Simon Dalmolen (TNO), Maarten Kollenstart (TNO), Erik Cornelisse (TNO), Franziska Kirstein (Blue Ocean Robotics), Christian Egebjerg (Blue Ocean Robotics), Dr. Mauro Bellone (Taltech)Room 20
iCal
Questions to be answered
- What are the most important applications for Data Spaces in Mobility, Industrial and Healthcare and which are the main technological challenges that need to be addressed in this scope?
- What are the most important technological AI challenges that need to be overcome to promote Data Spaces usage within the three domains of PLIADES?
- How can Data Spaces assist both AI technology developers, robot providers and end-users in real-world applications and what are the expected benefits?
Description
The aim of this workshop is to highlight the potential benefits of Data Spaces for the development of AI and robotic applications in the Mobility, Industrial and Healthcare domains, on the basis of R&D activities that are performed by the ongoing Horizon Europe PLIADES project. After a brief description of the project’s activities, key aspects within the topic of Data Space integration will be addressed, including the benefits and the challenges of using Data Spaces in the three domains, along with the technological challenges raised by AI. Along with end-users of these domains, technological developers and the workshop audience, the latest advances and market possibilities will be discussed.
Organisation of the WS
The workshop will comprise two parts. The first will include a series of speeches, focusing on recent research efforts funded by the EC, such as the PLIADES project, as well as speeches from the industry, focusing on the end-user view on Data Spaces for the Mobility, Industrial and Healthcare domains. The second, interactive part, will include a panel discussion, as well as feedback rounds with attendees, elaborating further on the key questions and aims of the workshop.
Part I
- 11:10 - 11:15 Introduction & Overview: Overview of workshop objectives and structure
- 11:15 - 11:30 Insights and Q&A on Data Spaces (Matthijs Punter – TNO, Netherlands)
- 11:30 - 11:37 Data Spaces for the Mobility, Healthcare and Industrial Domain – The PLIADES Project Case (Dr. Dimitrios Giakoumis – ITI, CERTH, Greece)
- 11:37 - 11:45 Data Space Protocol in Energy, Smart Industry and Healthcare: (Erik Cornelisse – TNO, Netherlands)
- 11:45 - 11:52 Data Spaces for the Development of Robotics: The PLIADES paradigm (Dr. Ioannis Mariolis – ITI, CERTH, Greece)
- 11:52 - 12:00 Opportunities and Challenges for Data Spaces in AI Applications from the End-User’s Point of View
- Mobility domain (Dr. MaurERFo Bellone – FinEst Centre for Smart Cities, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia)
- Healthcare domain (Franziska Kirstein – Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark)
- 12:00 - 12:20 Panel Discussion: Interactive discussion with all speakers (moderated by Franziska Kirstein – Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark)
- 12:20 - 12:30 Conclusions
Intended outcome
The aim of this workshop is to highlight the potential benefits of Data Spaces for the development of AI and robotic applications in the Mobility, Industrial and Healthcare domains. We aim at fruitful workshop discussions around this topic, sharing of success stories and use cases.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers & Panelists:
- Matthijs Punter – TNO, Netherlands
- Dr. Dimitrios Giakoumis – ITI, CERTH, Greece
- Erik Cornelisse – TNO, Netherlands
- Dr. Ioannis Mariolis – ITI, CERTH, Greece
- Dr. Mauro Bellone – FinEst Centre for Smart Cities, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
- Franziska Kirstein – Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
PLIADES (AI-Enabled Data Lifecycles Optimization and Data Spaces Integration for Increased Efficiency and Interoperability; funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101135988)
Further information
https://www.pliades-project.eu/
Organisers
- Kosmas Tsiakas (CERTH-ITI), ktsiakas@iti.gr
- Dr. Dimitrios Giakoumis (CERTH-ITI),
- Ioannis Mariolis (CERTH-ITI),
- Simon Dalmolen (TNO),
- Maarten Kollenstart (TNO),
- Erik Cornelisse (TNO),
- Franziska Kirstein (Blue Ocean Robotics), fk@blue-ocean-robotics.com
- Christian Egebjerg (Blue Ocean Robotics),
- Dr. Mauro Bellone (Taltech) mauro.bellone@taltech.ee
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch Break
No workshops in this session.
12:40 - 13:10 Feedback Session
WS#84 ERF 2025 Feedback Session
euRobotics Frauhofer-IPA and partnersHegelsaal
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Questions to be answered
What can be improved in future ERFs?
Description
tbd
Organisation of the WS
tbd
Intended outcome
To collect feedback on ERF 2025 in order to improve in future years
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- euRobotics and Fraunhofer IPA people
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
none
Projects involved
none
Further information
Organisers
- euRobotics
- Frauhofer-IPA and partners
14:00 - 15:20 Sessions Afternoon Day 3 -slot 1
WS#17 The New Frontiers of Advanced Humanoid and Legged Robots
Francesco Ferro (PAL Robotics), Nikolai Ensslen (Synapticon), Matthias Reichenbach (Mercedes-Benz AG), Wesley Roozing (Topic Group on Mechatronics, University of Twente), Navvab Kashiri (Topic Group on Mechatronics, Leonardo)Hegelsaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
- What are legs good for? When are they useful or needed?
- What are the safety requirements for humanoids to work around humans, and how do we achieve them in legged systems?
- Where are the capability gaps and are they primarily mechatronic, control, or cognitive in nature?
- How can the energy efficiency / operation time of humanoid robots be increased?
- What are the actuation requirements for humanoids, and how can mechatronics innovation reduce the cost of humanoid platforms?
Description
This workshop will deliver valuable insights into the latest technological advancements in humanoid and other legged robots, highlighting the rapidly developing sector of humanoid bipedal systems. It will cover recent breakthroughs in mechatronics which are driving the emergence of market-ready humanoid robots, and a vision of the potential future of humanoid robots.
Attendees will have the chance to connect with leading experts, researchers, and industry professionals in the field of humanoid and legged robots. The aim is to foster collaborations, partnerships, and knowledge exchange. The workshop is designed to be highly interactive, with both a panel discussion and breakout discussions. Discussions will focus on the practical applications of humanoid robots, such as their roles in risky environments and performing heavy work, and the technological gaps that need to be addressed to apply humanoids in such roles.
Through alignment with its partner workshop “Applications for Humanoid Robots in Europe” (WS#18), the two workshops will cover both the technological and application/market aspects of humanoid robots.
Keynote 1: Francesco Ferro (PAL Robotics), Alessandro di Nuovo (Sheffield)
Title: Bioinspired Humanoids robots to benefit society
Abstract: Bioinspired humanoid robots leverage neuroscience, biomechanics, and AI to enhance movement, perception, and interaction. The PRIMI Project develops neuro-inspired control systems, enabling robots to adapt, learn, and respond dynamically. PAL Robotics advances this field with humanoids like Kangaroo, designed for agile locomotion using bioinspired balance and control, and TALOS, a full-size humanoid enabling safe human-robot collaboration in industrial and research settings. These robots mimic human motion and cognitive functions, benefiting rehabilitation, assistive robotics, and automation. This presentation explores how bioinspired humanoids improve healthcare, workplace safety, and adaptive robotics, fostering a more efficient and human-centric society.
Keynote 2: Sebastian Wolf (DLR)
Title: Challenges and Benefits of Physically Elastic Humanoid Robots and their link to skills and applications
Abstract: Recent advancements in humanoid robotics have introduced a new era of physically elastic designs, offering both unprecedented capabilities and unique challenges. Firstly a brief introduction is given to the differences between physically elastic actuation, torque-sensor based actuation and quasi-direct drives. The presentation explores the innovative engineering behind compliant humanoid robots such as neoDavid, focusing on their elastic actuators and control systems. It addresses the practical applications and technical obstacles and provides insights into the future of humanoid robotics.
Keynote 3: Parker Conroy (Apptronik)
Title: The Future of Robot Form & Function: Exploring the Anatomy and Evolution of Humanoid Robots
Abstract: Recent breakthroughs in AI have accelerated the development of general-purpose, humanoid robots, and innovative companies are ready to deploy humanoid systems in both factory floors and logistics warehouses worldwide. As we look to a future with humanoids working not only in industrial environments, but eventually the home, what are the considerations for form and function to create a truly flexible, dexterous, and intelligent robot that can work alongside people? Please join us for this informative session for a presentation on various form factors, from legged solutions to wheeled base options and their applications, as well as safety considerations for humanoid robots, and how advancements in design, hardware, and software will converge to bring these new, physical AI agents into the world.
Keynote 4: Christian Ott (TU Wien)
Title: Combining model-based control and machine learning to achieve more versatile humanoid robots
Abstract: Traditionally, control methods for bipedal humanoid robots were designed mostly based on template models in combination with whole-body control techniques to address the mismatch between templates and the multi-body dynamics. A major step in the development was the use of the centroidal dynamics instead of templates and the application of model predictive control techniques. Recently, machine learning based locomotion based on reinforcement learning techniques has become an alternative promising technology for humanoids, inspired by the results obtained with quadruped robots. In this talk, I will highlight our recent results in the attempt to combine the complementary strengths of model based control and RL as a tool to refine the control policies. Our initial results have been obtained for bipedal walking, but could likely be extended to more versatile dynamic motions, such as jumping and running.
Keynote 5: Nikolai Ensslen (Synapticon)
Title: Making autonomous bipedals stable and safe: Tackling the safety and real-world interfacing challenges of physical AI
Abstract: As humanoid robots transition from research labs to real-world deployment, two critical challenges must be addressed: functional safety and AI-to-reality interfacing. While AI has unlocked remarkable new capabilities, its integration with physical embodiments remains a barrier for safety, reliability, and scalability. This talk will discuss approaches for the safety of bipedal and AI-controlled robots and explore how hybrid control architectures—combining AI-driven intelligence with deterministic, safety-certified motion control—are the key to unlocking humanoid automation.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:03 Introduction
- 14:03 - 14:13 Bioinspired Humanoids robots to benefit society (Francesco Ferro - PAL Robotics, Spain; Alessandro di Nuovo - Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom)
- 14:13 - 14:23 Challenges and Benefits of Physically Elastic Humanoid Robots and their link to skills and applications (Sebastian Wolf - DLR, Germany)
- 14:23 - 14:33 The Future of Robot Form & Function: Exploring the Anatomy and Evolution of Humanoid Robots (Parker Conroy - Apptronik, USA)
- 14:33 - 14:43 Combining model-based control and machine learning to achieve more versatile humanoid robots (Christian Ott - TU Wien, Austria)
- 14:43 - 14:53 Making autonomous bipedals stable and safe: Tackling the safety and real-world interfacing challenges of physical AI (Nikolai Ensslen - Synapticon, Germany)
- 14:53 - 15:18 Panel discussion - Fed by mentimeter and questions from audience
- 15:18 - 15:20 Survey - prioritisation of technical challenges and solutions
- 15:20 - 15:20 Closing
Intended outcome
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers
- Sebastian Wolf - DLR, Germany
- Francesco Ferro - PAL Robotics, Spain
- Alessandro di Nuovo - Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom
- Parker Conroy - Apptronik, USA
- Christian Ott - TU Wien, Austria
- Nikolai Ensslen - Synapticon, Germany
Moderators
- Wesley Roozing - University of Twente, Netherlands
- Navvab Kashiri - Leonardo & Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Topic Group on Mechatronics
Projects involved
PRIMI: Performance in Robot Interaction via Mental Imagery (Horizon Europe) https://primi-project.eu/
Further information
Organisers
- Francesco Ferro (PAL Robotics),
- Nikolai Ensslen (Synapticon),
- Matthias Reichenbach (Mercedes-Benz AG),
- Wesley Roozing (Topic Group on Mechatronics, University of Twente),
- Navvab Kashiri (Topic Group on Mechatronics, Leonardo)
WS#32 Close Encounters of the Digital Kind: (Re)defining Alliances between Humans and AI-enhanced cobots
Francisco Fraile (Universitat Politècnica de València), Oliver Avram (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)), Leire Bastida (TECNALIA), Fernando Castaño (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)), Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (Profactor GmbH)Room 20
iCal
Questions to be answered
Consider the IQ (Intelligence Quotient), EQ (Emotional Quotient) and AQ (Action Quotient) as definitory building blocks of the AI-enhanced cobots.
- Smart (IQ): What cognitive shift is needed for cobots to act as adaptive digital companions? We will examine the problem-solving abilities, reasoning skills, and context awareness of AI-enhanced cobots that can enable effective, safe collaboration in complex work environments.
- Resourceful (AQ): How can cobots transition from tools to collaborative teammates? We’ll look at how AI-driven cobots can evolve to perform shared tasks with agility, precision, and dexterity. Discussions will focus on how these systems can proactively respond to human movements, ensure safety, and manage risk in real-time.
- Empathic (EQ): Can we rely on our digital counterparts? What is required for a trust-based human-robot relationship? Building trust and transparency is critical for effective collaboration. We’ll discuss the potential of cobots to interpret human emotional states through voice, facial expressions, and behaviour, enhancing the human experience by fostering a sense of security and support during collaborative tasks.
Description
This workshop will examine the transformative role of AI-enhanced collaborative robots (cobots) in reshaping human-robot interaction by emphasising trust, adaptability, and intuitive programming. Participants will explore insights from leading research projects, including AI-PRISM, FLUENTLY, SOPRANO and FORTIS, which are advancing cobots' intelligence, empathy, and agility to meet the needs of modern, collaborative work environments. Key questions will guide the discussions: how can AI systems be designed to ensure safety, comfort, and productivity for human workers? What frameworks can make cobots adaptable to dynamic human behaviour? And how can these machines become “digital companions” that provide meaningful, responsive collaboration? The workshop will also address how intuitive programming and human-guided learning can elevate cobots’ roles, enhancing their functionality and cooperation in industrial settings while addressing challenges like workforce ageing by reducing physical and mental strain.
An interactive session will leverage the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT) to deepen engagement. In this activity, attendees will work in teams to design a robotic system, making scenario-based decisions on AI integration, trust, and intuitive programming to address real-world challenges in real scenarios based on the projects’ pilots. Participants will be handled IF-AT scratch cards containing feature descriptions, rating scales, and open-ended sections for brainstorming additional features. Each group will rate the features to be included in their solution and propose additional features to design unique collaborative solutions. These decisions will reflect solutions inspired by the projects, fostering a practical understanding of how human-centered AI, trust, and intuitive programming intersect to improve human-robot collaboration. This hands-on experience aims to drive meaningful discussion and illustrate potential pathways for cobots to become true collaborative partners in workplace and industrial settings.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:30 Introduction and Impulse Talks:
- Objective of the session: to explore the integration of AI-enhanced cobots in real-world scenarios
- IQ (Smart), EQ (Empathic), and AQ (Resourceful) — as building blocks for AI-enhanced HRC
- Overview of scenarios to be discussed in the interactive session activity
- 14:30 - 15:10 Interactive Session
- 15:10 - 15:20 Wrap-up: Summary of findings and conclusion
Intended outcome
- Identify key functional modules to create custom HRC solutions (details regarding the cognitive, physical and empathic skills of the cobot)
- Design a Human-Robot collaboration Blueprint
Speakers
- Leire Bastida – FORTIS & TECNALIA, Spain [confirmed]
- Oliver Avram – FLUENTLY & University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Switzerland [confirmed]
- Francisco Fraile – AI PRISM & Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain
- Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi - SOPRANO & PROFACTOR GmbH, Austria
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Projects involved
- AI PRISM (https://aiprism.eu/)
- FORTIS (https://fortis-project.eu/)
- FLUENTLY(https://www.fluently-horizonproject.eu/)
- SOPRANO (https://www.soprano-project.org/)
Further information
Organisers
- Francisco Fraile (Universitat Politècnica de València),
- Oliver Avram (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)),
- Leire Bastida (TECNALIA),
- Fernando Castaño (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)),
- Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi (Profactor GmbH)
WS#42 Advancing AI-Powered Robotic Cognition, Deliberation and Learning for Real-World Applications
Christian Henkel (Bosch Research), Alessio Caporali (University of Bologna), Roberto Meattini (University of Bologna), Néstor García (EURECAT), Dimitra Triantafyllou (CERTH), Dimitrios Giakoumis (CERTH)Silchersaal
iCal
Questions to be answered
- How can we design robotic systems that effectively reason and deliberate to expressively define and adapt their behavior in complex, dynamic environments?
- How can robots efficiently learn new manipulation skills in unstructured environments while minimizing human intervention and maximizing adaptability?
- How can human-centric interfaces and shared autonomy models be developed to ensure safe and intuitive collaboration between humans and robots, while leveraging prior knowledge and demonstrations?
Description
This workshop will delve into advanced methods for defining robotic behavior, with a focus on deliberation, adaptability, and real-world applications. Attendees will gain insights from leading projects, including Intelliman, CONVINCE, PILLAR-Robots, euROBIN, and MANIBOT, which are at the forefront of cognitive robotics and AI-powered systems. Key discussions will cover the essentials of robotic deliberation, examining how autonomous, context-aware decision-making can be achieved. Attendees will share input on the requirements for effective deliberation, the challenges faced, and the latest technologies enabling these capabilities.
The workshop will also explore data-efficient learning and Sim2Real transfer techniques, showcasing approaches to skill acquisition and task planning in unstructured environments. Projects will demonstrate strategies for minimizing data requirements and bridging the gap between simulated and real-world settings. Additionally, we’ll highlight the role of semantic sensor fusion and control theory to enhance robustness and situational awareness in complex tasks. Through collaborative discussions, participants will address both challenges and opportunities in cognitive robotics, aiming to shape the future of AI-powered robots for dynamic, real-world applications.
Please refer to our workshop website: https://lar-unibo.github.io/erf2025_ws42/
Organisation of the WS
Main Topic 1: High-Level Learning, Task-Level Learning, and Deliberation
- 14:00 - 14:08 Plan Replanning and Repair at PlanSys2 (Francisco Martín Rico – Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain)
- 14:09 - 14:17 The Purpose Framework: A Path to Useful Autonomous Robots (Richard J. Duro – Universidade da Coruña, Spain)
- 14:18 - 14:26 How do we tell the robot what to do? Deliberation in CONVINCE (Christian Henkel – Bosch Research, Germany)
- 14:27 - 14:35 Interactive Session / Audience Q&A / Online Polls (Christian Henkel — Bosch Research, Germany)
- Audience Q&A + at the same time: Online Polls (Mentimeter)
Main Topic 2: Skill-Level Learning and Manipulation
- 14:35 - 14:43 Rapid Skill Learning with Hand-Held Grippers in IntelliMan (Néstor García – EURECAT, Spain)
- 14:44 - 14:52 MANiBOT: Advancing the physical intelligence and performance of robots towards human-like objects manipulation (Dimitrios Giakoumis – CERTH, Greece)
- 14:53 - 14:59 Leveraging uncertainty and interactive guidance for robot skill acquisition (João Silvério – DLR, Germany)
- 15:00 - 15:08 euROBIN (Michael Beetz – Bremen University, Germany and Rudolf Triebel – DLR &, Germany)
- 15:08 - 15:20 Interactive Session (Alessio Caporali — University of Bologna, Italy; Néstor García — EURECAT, Spain)
- Audience Q&A + at the same time: Online Polls (Mentimeter)
Intended outcome
- Participants will gain a deep understanding of how autonomous robots achieve context-aware decision-making, including key state-of-the-art technologies that enable effective deliberation.
- Attendees will explore advanced approaches concerning skill acquisition and robot manipulation, enabling the transition from simulation to real-world applications.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers & Panelists:
- Francisco Martín Rico – Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain [confirmed]
- Richard J. Duro – Universidade da Coruña, Spain [confirmed]
- Christian Henkel – Bosch Research, Germany [confirmed]
- Dimitrios Giakoumis – CERTH, Greece [confirmed]
- Néstor García – EURECAT, Spain [confirmed]
- João Silvério – DLR, Germany [confirmed]
- Michael Beetz – Bremen University, Germany
- Rudolf Triebel – DLR (euROBIN), Germany
Moderators:
- Christian Henkel – Bosch Research, Germany
- Alessio Caporali – University of Bologna, Italy
- Néstor García – EURECAT, Spain
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Not applicable.
Projects involved
- IntelliMan
- CONVINCE
- PILLAR-Robots
- euROBIN
- MANiBOT
Further information
https://lar-unibo.github.io/erf2025_ws42/
Organisers
- Christian Henkel (Bosch Research), christian.henkel2@de.bosch.com
- Alessio Caporali (University of Bologna), alessio.caporali@unibo.it
- Roberto Meattini (University of Bologna), roberto.meattini@unibo.it
- Néstor García (EURECAT), nestor.garcia@eurecat.org
- Dimitra Triantafyllou (CERTH), dtriant@iti.gr
- Dimitrios Giakoumis (CERTH) dgiakoum@iti.gr
WS#51 Blockchain for Robotics Applications
Fabio Bonsignorio (University of Zagreb FER and Heron Robots), , ,Room 22-24
iCal
Questions to be answered
- What’s a blockchain?
- Which are the possible applications in robotics?
- How to decide if a given blockchain is good for your application?
- Which blockchain tools exist to enhance the dependability and transparency of robotic systems?
- Which methods are appropriate for integrating both technologies?
- What are the novel approaches and methodologies for integrating robots with blockchain-based technologies?
Description
Robotic systems are beginning to transform various industries, including transportation and healthcare, facilitated by technical developments such as cloud computing, innovative hardware design, and new manufacturing techniques. Nonetheless, certain attributes that render robots suitable for specific future applications—such as autonomy, learning, and information sharing—may also provoke apprehensions over the transition of the technology from academic settings to the public domain. For example, managing the behavior of extensive teams of robots continues to provide distinct issues for human operators. Moreover, significant concerns over data privacy, security, and transparency may pose challenges for the future application of this technology in highly sensitive contexts. Consequently, addressing these challenges may be essential for widespread adoption.
The blockchain, a nascent technology originating from digital currency, illustrates that by integrating peer-to-peer networks with cryptographic algorithms, participants can achieve consensus transparently without requiring a governing entity. Blockchain-based instruments, such as "smart contracts," are demonstrating significant potential to enhance the security, autonomy, flexibility, and profitability of robotic operations. Consequently, connecting solely scientific fields with practical applications.
Nonetheless, the opportunities presented by distributed ledger technology and web 3.0 for robotics, particularly in networked and swarm robotics, as well as robotics for smart cities and smart supply chains, remain largely unrecognized. We contend that there remains inadequate understanding of the emerging sciences and technologies associated with blockchain, distributed ledger, and web 3.0 settings, particularly regarding their application to robotic systems where trust, privacy, and cybersecurity are essential.
This workshop aims to address this gap and empower participating academics, people from industry, and entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs to transcend the traditional perspective of robotic systems, so enhancing our comprehension of the potential and constraints of integrating robots with blockchain technology.
Organisation of the WS
- Short (10-15’) TED-Style Talks — topics include:
- Current technology and applications in robotics
- The emerging economy of robots
- Robot-as-a-service
- Interactive discussion based on tools like mentimeter and pol.is to collect feedback and facilitate dialog
Intended outcome
A 5 pages white paper about Blockchain in Robotics with a one page executive summary)
About societal and economic needs that could be addressed, available technologies, opportunities and risks for the future.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers:
- F. Bonsignorio — University of Zagreb FER (Croatia) & Heron Robots (Italy), Why Blockchain matters
- E. Castello-Ferrer — IE University & MIT, (Spain, pending confirmation), Security in Robotic Swarms
- Onder Gurcan — NORCE Norwegian Research Centre (Norway), On using agent-based modeling and simulation for studying blockchain systems
- Aleksandr Kapitonov - Tashkent University (Uzbekistan) & ITMO University (Russia) and
- Dimitrii Dobridorsci - Daggendorf Institute of Technology (Germany), Scalable peer-to-peer network for edge devices
- Andy Whyte - Adaptive Machine Patterns (UK), Blockchain as a candidate for a trust model in modular robotics
- …and more…
There will be an open call for short talks to collect info about ongoing research and experiences in Europe and globally.
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Industrial Robotics, AICOR, Software Engineering, Benchmarking and Competitions
Projects involved
Further information
Pentland, A., Lipton, A. , Hardjono, T. (2021). Building the New Economy: Data as Capital, MIT Connection Science & Engineering,
Buterin, V. (2013). Ethereum white paper. URL https://ethereum.org/en/whitepaper/. [Online; accessed: 11 December 2024]
Merkle, R. (1982). US4309569A US Patent. URL https://patents.google.com/patent/US4309569A/en. [On-line; accessed: 11 December 2024].
Bonsignorio, F., Zereik, E. (2021) Merging BSP based swarm dynamics and distributed ledger technologies for smart marine infrastructures, IFAC-PapersOnLine 56 (2), 6716-6723
Berman, I., Zereik, E., Kapitonov, A., Bonsignorio, F., Khassanov, A., Oripova, A., Lonshakov, S., and Bulatov, V. (2020). Trustable environmental monitoring by means of sensors networks on swarming autonomous marine vessels and distributed ledger technology. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 7.
Castello Ferrer, E. (2019). The blockchain: a new framework for robotic swarm systems. In Proceedings of the Future Technologies Conference (FTC) 2018: Volume 2, 1037–1058. Springer.
Kapitonov, A., Lonshakov, S., Berman, I., Castello-Ferrer, E., Bonsignorio, F., Bulatov, V., and Svistov, A. (2019). Robotic services for new paradigm smart cities based on decentralized technologies. Ledger, 4.
Organisers
- Fabio Bonsignorio (University of Zagreb FER and Heron Robots), fabio.bonsignorio@gmail.com, fabio.bonsignorio@fer.hr, fabio.bonsignorio@heronrobots.com
WS#63 Robotics for a Changing World
José Saenz Franziska Kirstein Elisabeth Schärtl Rich WalkerMaritim: room Hamburg/ Bonn
iCal
Questions to be answered
- How to address the recent global developments from a European perspective?
- How can we make regulations to stimulate innovation?
- What are the concrete challenges in the next few months and how to address them?
- What ideas have emerged in ERF that we should take forward?
Description
This workshop is intended to draw together the strands of the discussions that will begin at the General Assembly and continue throughout the Forum about the macro picture of robotics in Europe.
Recent global developments have underscored shifting geopolitical and economic dynamics, with increasing emphasis on technological sovereignty, supply chain resilience, and sustainable innovation.
Europe faces growing competition from other regions investing heavily in robotics and AI, while also navigating regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with ethical and environmental considerations.
For the European robotics community, this presents both challenges and opportunities. While Europe is a leader in industrial and service robotics, it remains dependent on non-European suppliers for critical components, such as sensors, processors, and batteries. This dependency raises concerns about supply chain stability, cost, and long-term competitiveness.
To strengthen Europe’s position, we must enhance innovation capabilities, foster strategic partnerships, and invest in local production and R&D. This workshop will explore pathways toward greater European resilience in robotics:
What are the most pressing issues in the coming months?
How can industry, policymakers, and researchers collaborate to tackle them?
How can the speed of innovation and market uptake in this ecosystem be increased?
How can Europe reduce dependencies and build a more self-sufficient robotics ecosystem?
What risks do different approaches here pose?
What collaborative actions are needed between policymakers, industry, and researchers?
What other questions arise from your perspective?
Organisation of the WS
14:00 - 14:15 Introduction by the organizers and recap of ideas that emerged at ERF
14:15 - 15:00 Group work
15:00 - 15:20 Conclusion - feedback from the “question hosts” and next steps.
Statements will be collected throughout the ERF, please reach out to the workshop organizers to share your statement beforehand.
Intended outcome
This workshop session aims to discuss Europe’s strategic response to global developments, identifying key challenges in robotics and how these can be addressed:
Addressing Immediate Challenges – What are the most pressing issues in the coming months, and how can industry, policymakers, and researchers collaborate to tackle them?
Stimulating Innovation, Not Just Regulation – How can policies support technological growth while maintaining ethical and sustainable standards?
Strengthening Europe’s Position – How can Europe reduce dependency on external suppliers and enhance its robotics ecosystem?
Expected Outcomes:
- Challenge definition and description.
- Concrete next steps to strengthen Europe’s robotics sector.
- Clear priorities for reducing supply chain dependencies.
- Policy recommendations for a more innovation-friendly environment.
- Several documents containing our discussion circulated to the attendees for further refinement
Speakers, Panelists, etc
- José Saenz
- Franziska Kirstein
- Elisabeth Schärtl
- Rich Walker
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
- TG Standardization, TG Safety
- TG Sustainability
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- José Saenz
- Franziska Kirstein
- Elisabeth Schärtl
- Rich Walker
WS#7 Marine robotics: challenges, trends and opportunities
Gabriele Ferri (NATO CMRE), Enrico Simetti (University of Genova)Room 14-16
iCal
Questions to be answered
- Which are the biggest challenges to solve to make marine robotics robust enough to be used in many real-world applications?
- How can new technologies help us to reach this? Which are the most promising new technologies/approaches?
- Which is the current situation, trends and opportunities in underwater intervention/inspection and manipulation, underwater perception and autonomy?
Description
The technological evolution of the last decades has made the use of marine robots, both underwater and surface, a reality. In the next years, thanks to the advances in autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI), these systems are expected to become more and more popular in real-world applications.
However, several challenges remain to be addressed and fully solved. Market barriers, common to the different applications, are still present. Difficulties of underwater operations, lack of power and endurance, severely limited electromagnetic propagation for both sensing and communications, lack of power and endurance and underwater communications and networking are considered the most critical technological obstacles to the use of these systems. On the other hand, lack of regulations (legal, liability, insurance, safety and security) for the use in the field of marine robots, lack of accepted standards to improve interoperability, were identified as the non-technological barriers.
It is necessary to address these challenges to make the use of marine robots popular and common also by end-users non expert in robotics.
In this workshop we will discuss these challenges and current trends in marine robotics, driven by the new technologies becoming more and more mature.
We will invite some keynote speakers to illustrate their experience in some of the identified areas such as underwater intervention, with a special focus on underwater manipulation, underwater perception and robot autonomy. Robust solutions in these topics are crucial in order to develop useful, reliable robotic systems in the near future.The idea is to gather people both from industry and research to present different perspectives on the open challenges and the needs to be faced in the next future. The workshop will conclude with a round table to involve the invited speakers and people from the public to discuss and define future opportunities and trends.
Organisation of the WS
- 14:00 - 14:10 Introduction and report on TG activities by TG coordinators
- 14:10 - 14:22 Presentation: Marine robotics industry perspective on the increasing use of autonomy in the energy sector (Peter Kampmann – Rosenxt Group, Germany)
- 14:22 - 14:34 Presentation: Challenges and opportunities in combining advanced perception, autonomy, and manipulation (Pere Ridao – University of Girona, Italy)
- 14:34 - 15:15 Round Table Discussion: Challenges and opportunities of using marine robots in real-world applications—with a special focus on underwater manipulation, perception, and the increase of the use of autonomy. The discussion will explore the impact of new technologies such as advanced perception, machine learning, and new resident-autonomy paradigms on the market, with public participation
- 15:15 - 15:20 Conclusion by the TG coordinators
Intended outcome
An overview of the state of the art on marine robotics and definition of new trends of interest and how they can be combined to develop the marine robots of the future, more autonomous and more capable to accomplish real-world operations.
Speakers, Panelists, etc
Speakers:
- Gabriele Ferri – CMRE, Italy
- Enrico Simetti – University of Genova, Italy
- Pere Ridao – University of Girona, Italy
- Peter Kampmann – Rosenxt Group, Germany
- Federico Celi – CMRE, Italy
Moderators:
- Gabriele Ferri – CMRE, Italy
- Enrico Simetti – University of Genova, Italy
Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved
Marine Robotics Topic Group
Projects involved
Further information
Organisers
- Gabriele Ferri (NATO CMRE), gabriele.ferri@cmre.nato.int
- Enrico Simetti (University of Genova) enrico.simetti@unige.it