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World-wide network of experts advances service robotics

Story added 08 April 2010.

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In February, professionals from all over the world met at the third ‘Expert Days’ Event on Service Robotics at SCHUNK in Lauffen, Germany. The annual world-wide symposium is regarded as the leading communication platform for applied service robotics.

SCHUNK invites top-class attendees every year for this event. From this small group of thoughtleaders in robotics, an interdisciplinary global network has now developed. This network is developing robotics for the future, as a flexible aid in industrial and domestic environments .

At this years event there were attendees from 22 international companies, research institutes and universities that focused on issues such as safety, standardization and European initiatives. Moreover, current research studies on ‘gripping’, ‘mobile manipulation’ and ‘modular robotics’ were presented. An accompanying exhibition showcased current projects, such as the service robot ‘FRIEND’. This is from the research project ‘AMaRob’, which will help disabled humans to live independently. The mobile robot platform Scitos can freely move and interact with humans.

Communication platform with well-known experts

Among the attendees were the Italian specialist on service robotics, Prof. Bruno Siciliano of the University of Napels and Prof. Antonio Bicchi of the University of Pisa. Eric Berger of the United States service robotics company Willow Garage and Prof. Markus Schwarz of the University of Heidelberg, who uses service robotics in orthopedic and traumasurgery also attended the conference. The symposium was moderated by Prof. Dr. Henrik I. Christensen, ‘KUKA Chair of Robotics’ at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, as well as Martin Hägele, the Head of the Department robot systems at the Frauenhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) in Germany.

One observation from the forum was that service robotics are now entering the state of practical applications. This has become more noticeable by the increasing numbers of companies that have discovered service robotics as a future fieldstudy. The intensive exchange of experience between the participants was obvious. All the lectures given delivered important discussion points and considerations for the future of robotics. It is quite evident that all the participants pursue the same goal: They want to develop and market, need-oriented applications in service robotics.

Dr. Uwe L. Haass from the Technical University, Munich commented: “I enjoyed this year's Expert Days and made quality contacts. The atmosphere at SCHUNK was very conducive for learning.” Whilst Dr. Marc Ronthaler, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence said: “The SCHUNK Expert Days offer high-quality lectures in an atmosphere that allows intensive discussions in a personal setting.”

Global network

Since the first ‘Expert Days’ event some international networks have developed and this has witnessed extensive knowledge exchange and experiences that commonly initiates future-orientated projects. As a pioneer in modular robotics, SCHUNK has accompanied the development of service robotics right from the beginning. With its proven industrial mechatronic modules and sophisticated multi-joint grippers, SCHUNK offers a unique molduar system for various applications in service robotics. For example, the LWA 3, is currently the modular light-weight arm with the highest power density on the global market. In almost 100 co-operations with universities, research institutes and highly specialized companies, SCHUNK also advances the development of this future technology.

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