European Robotics Discussion board 2023 was successful!

Earlier this spring, the biggest robotics occasion in Europe – The European Robotics Discussion board 2023 (ERF23) – was held in Odense, Denmark. As some of the influential gatherings of the robotics group in Europe, the occasion introduced collectively researchers, engineers, managers, entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and public funding officers to discover the newest tendencies and themes within the discipline of robotics. With greater than 1100 registered members and 65 sponsors and exhibitors, this was ‘the biggest ERF in recorded historical past – on all parameters’, say the organizers.

Through the four-day discussion board, RI4EU robotics DIHs community, along with agROBOfood and Rima Community, hosted a sales space on the occasion, the place they showcased a variety of robotics initiatives. These additionally included TRINITY Robotics DIHs, agROBOfood, DIH-HERO, and DIH² robotics networks.

One of many highlights of the convention for RI4EU was their workshop – “Supporting SMEs in Bringing Robotics Options to Market“. The purpose was to have an interactive dialogue on how robotics Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) networks can create a higher impression for SMEs and facilitate a broad uptake and integration of robotics applied sciences within the business. The query comes within the context the place a gaggle of 5 EU-funded robotics initiatives – robotics DIHs networks (agROBOfood, Rima Community, TRINITY, DIH-HERO, and DIH²) – beneath the umbrella of RI4EU, have offered monetary help of 40M EUR and extra providers to greater than 180 European robotics SMEs, to assist them deliver their options to the market. So now, when these initiatives are ending after a interval of 4 years, it is just pure to debate the impression they’ve created, challenges and classes realized.

The session featured 5 knowledgeable audio system: Minna Lanz, Coordinator of TRINITY Robotics DIHs, Christophe Leroux, Coordinator of Rima Community, Françoise Siepel, Coordinator of DIH-HERO, Ali Muhammad, Coordinator of DIH², and Tsampikos Kounalakis, Robotics Researcher-agROBOfood. Maurits Butter, RI4EU Gateway to EU Robotics Initiatives, was a moderator, guaranteeing a productive and interesting dialog.

Constructing trusting relationships is essential

There’s large potential for robotic functions within the business, for instance, to extend productiveness, enhance security, and many others. however the complete market measurement of robotics continues to be negligible in relation to the general market measurement. The suggestions obtained through the workshop indicated that one of many main points robotic SMEs face is the hassle wanted to develop Proof of ideas and run assessments. Alongside the identical line of reasoning, firms agreed that the 4 most vital providers they want from DIHs are:

• Technological help, to supply technological infrastructure and experience to develop the innovation.
• Ecosystem providers, aiming on the provision of help to create a dynamic ecosystem.
• Enterprise help, to supply extra single buyer help on growing an innovation-based enterprise
• Abilities and academic help, to reinforce the experience, expertise and human assets with the community companions.

Nonetheless, there was a standard key component that firms acknowledged to have nice impression on their exercise: the trusted enterprise connections that had been facilitated by the DIHs. Constructing a group of interconnected specialists within the many robotics fields requires strategic planning, assets, and dedication. So on this sense, DIHs networks can present alternatives that can’t be discovered elsewhere. Furthermore, scouting for brand new regional community connections, searching for to attach the worth chain, and many others. generally is a daunting and time-consuming job however then the DIHs networks actually deliver added worth by means of their connections with different initiatives or professionals inside area of interest markets, which give the robotics ecosystem with a complete listing of contacts to seeks steering from or do enterprise with.

Lengthy-term development

However now, the 5 robotics initiatives, agROBOfood, Rima Community, TRINITY, DIH-HERO, and DIH², are coming to an finish, as they’ve obtained funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 to this point. So what would be the future of those DIHs networks? Will they cease their exercise as soon as the EU funding could have ended or will they proceed to supply their providers sooner or later? When requested these questions through the workshop, all networks made it clear that they ‘will proceed to dwell’, as one of many audio system mentioned. They’re well-established networks within the discipline of robotics and though their new enterprise fashions usually are not officialized but, the DIHs networks are planning to develop sooner or later.
Thus far, the Rima Community has made its announcement: it’s now remodeling into the RIMA Alliance, to maintain offering providers and seize all good practices in simply one-stop-shop, to maintain working in the direction of the uptake of robotics in inspection and upkeep. As for the opposite 4 networks, comply with their pages and RI4EU community to listen to contemporary information and subscribe to the publication on their web site.

By way of participation within the ERF23, the RI4EU crew was in a position to be taught from specialists within the discipline, make new connections, and promote their work to a wider viewers. By partnering with their innovation actions/DIHs networks, they had been in a position to showcase their initiatives and encourage others to hitch them of their mission to speed up innovation in robotics.