Robotics

Scope

Robotics and the associated fields of Artificial Intelligence, Human-Machine Interaction, and Automation, are considered as key enabling technologies for tackling societal challenges, facilitating the long-term sustainable development of local communities. UniGe and the whole Ulysseus consortium will leverage Robotics-related research and training in: the automation of industrial sectors; smart cities and communities; the health sector and the associated demographical challenges; tourism and cultural heritage; building and construction; logistics and mobility.

At a transversal level, the Innovation Hub will also address:

• the acceptability and inclusiveness of different methodologies and technologies;
• knowledge transfer, and the marketability of methods and results;
• the replicability, scalability, and adoption of different solutions

Description

The Innovation Hub in Robotics adopts the Kendall Square model to organize a distributed, territory-oriented innovation ecosystem where different types of actors interact to design novel Robotics based solutions to open, global challenges, and to accelerate their wide adoption in international settings.

The rapid, exponential evolution of Robotics and other Artificial Intelligence powered technologies is expected to pervade all aspects of our future everyday life. The pace at which the society as a whole will adopt the outcomes of such technologies will be accelerating over time. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate education-oriented activities with innovation via novel forms of entrepreneurship mindset, which are informed by deep knowledge and domain expertise. IH Robotics will adopt a flow model coordinating existing activities on the territory and establishing missing links when needed between all the involved actors, to structure an underlying ecosystem able to leverage mutual, fluid synergies.

Target challenges

The application of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence related technologies in various sectors is becoming one of the major trends nowadays, thanks to the possibility of using methods, techniques, and technologies to increase productivity, optimise processes, and compensate for job shortage and qualified work. Despite the many advances, Robotics is still far from being fully developed, and – due to demographics and innovation barriers – many potential applications are still far from being tested.

IH Robotics will focus on such domains as logistics, including port- and intra-modal logistics, mobility, assistive technologies, and green automation. A specific key role will be given to human-centric approaches able to design and build technologies around human needs. This will, in turn, target aspects related to process optimisation, green economy, sustainability, and manufacturing/ demanufacturing, as well as construction.

Possible solutions

In order to develop it in an organic and ecosystem like fashion, UniGe has already been involved in a number of flagship projects, such as the creation of an ad-hoc innovation ecosystem (i.e., RAISE, which stands for “Robotics and AI for Social Empowerment”) aiming at transferring knowhow to regional strategic sectors and doctoral programmes with the aim of both advancing research in Robotics and mentoring future experts.

IH Robotics will feature a unique program in business which will be developed in a MSc program leading to a double/joint degrees. In parallel, ideation and open innovation programs will be organized to channel inspiration, thinking, and to promote engagement with a number of international stakeholders on big, global challenges to be addressed also via Robotics and Artificial Intelligence technologies. Two specific measures will be organized annually: 1) the Robotics. Launchpad, a business idea competition related to Robotics, with the mission to synthesize unlock potential hidden in Robotics technology to address a series of global challenges; 2) the Robothon, a possibly distributed 24-hour hackaton that may be carried out simultaneously in different cities, with the goal of attracting innovators, entrepreneurs, students and professionals together.

Latest publications

• Digitalization, robotics and cybersecurity transforming the future & Applied AI for Business and Education Extended Abstracts from “COMPASS Conference: Transferable Skills for Research & Innovation” (Helsinki, October 2023). View full list of publications on this topic.