Earlier this spring, the biggest robotics occasion in Europe – The European Robotics Discussion board 2023 (ERF23) – was held in Odense, Denmark. As probably the most influential gatherings of the robotics group in Europe, the occasion introduced collectively researchers, engineers, managers, entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and public funding officers to discover the most recent traits and themes within the area of robotics. With greater than 1100 registered contributors 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 affect for SMEs and facilitate a broad uptake and integration of robotics applied sciences within the trade. The query comes within the context the place a bunch of 5 EU-funded robotics initiatives – robotics DIHs networks (agROBOfood, Rima Community, TRINITY, DIH-HERO, and DIH²) – below the umbrella of RI4EU, have offered monetary assist of 40M EUR and extra companies to greater than 180 European robotics SMEs, to assist them carry their options to the market. So now, when these initiatives are ending after a interval of 4 years, it’s only pure to debate the affect they’ve created, challenges and classes realized.

The session featured 5 professional 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, making certain a productive and interesting dialog.

Constructing trusting relationships is essential

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

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

Nonetheless, there was a typical key ingredient that firms acknowledged to have nice affect on their exercise: the trusted enterprise connections that had been facilitated by the DIHs. Constructing a group of interconnected consultants within the many robotics fields requires strategic planning, sources, and dedication. So on this sense, DIHs networks can present alternatives that can not be discovered elsewhere. Furthermore, scouting for brand new regional community connections, searching for to attach the worth chain, and so on. could be a daunting and time-consuming job however then the DIHs networks actually carry added worth by their connections with different initiatives or professionals inside area of interest markets, which offer the robotics ecosystem with a whole record of contacts to seeks steering from or do enterprise with.

Lengthy-term progress

However now, the 5 robotics initiatives, agROBOfood, Rima Community, TRINITY, DIH-HERO, and DIH², are coming to an finish, as they’ve acquired funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 up to now. So what would be the future of those DIHs networks? Will they cease their exercise as soon as the EU funding may have ended or will they proceed to supply their companies sooner or later? When requested these questions in the course of the workshop, all networks made it clear that they ‘will proceed to dwell’, as one of many audio system stated. They’re well-established networks within the area of robotics and though their new enterprise fashions will not be officialized but, the DIHs networks are planning to develop sooner or later.
To this point, the Rima Community has made its announcement: it’s now reworking into the RIMA Alliance, to maintain offering companies and seize all good practices in simply one-stop-shop, to maintain working in 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 participation within the ERF23, the RI4EU staff was capable of be taught from consultants within the area, make new connections, and promote their work to a wider viewers. By partnering with their innovation actions/DIHs networks, they had been capable of showcase their initiatives and encourage others to hitch them of their mission to speed up innovation in robotics.