Inaugurale Lezing
'Sustainable robotics'
Abstract
Robotics has progressed beyond industrial automation, driven by advancements in core robotic technologies from actuation, materials to sensing and control. In addition, the convergence of robotics with AI has led to embodied AI, where robots interact with complex human environments. This next generation of robots will be adaptive, capable of learning from humans and their surroundings, and able to safely operate in unstructured environments.
Next to the technical progress, also the societal and environmental impact of robotics is becoming increasingly important. Europe is at the forefront of these transitions with pioneering legislation linked to the goals set out in the European Green Deal, European industrial strategy, the AI act.
At Brubotics, we aim to bring the three pillars of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, being economy, society and environment together in a humanity-centered robotics context, where ideally, these transitions reinforce each other. The digital transition is typically spearheaded by the private sector due to its large economic potential. To harness its benefits for greening and to limit its harmful social and environmental effects, state and civil society engagement are key. Therefor we work in strong multidisciplinary teams not only spanning the technical fields, but also social, medical and human sciences.
This inaugural session and its further program are devoted to sustainable robotics. We innovate throughout the entire value chain, from technology producers, robot companies, integrators to end users. Apart from supporting existing companies, we are also developing several spinoffs by gradually climbing the technology readiness ladder from scientific breakthroughs to exploitation of the results especially in applications in health and manufacturing, but also construction and agriculture.