Fraunhofer Heilbronn Research and Innovation Centers HNFIZAI-based robotics plays a key role in overcoming social challenges. This is because innovative automation solutions can address the growing shortage of skilled workers, the increasing need to make physical work easier for elderly people, and cost pressures. AI makes it possible to make existing robot applications more efficient and flexible or to implement applications that were previously not technically or economically feasible.
To this end, FIZ AI-based robotics is pursuing the vision of developing and enabling robotic systems for industrial value creation systems that reach or exceed human levels in terms of flexibility, speed, and quality. This increases productivity, reduces the need for specialist knowledge by “automation of automation”, and ensures less waste and more efficient (intra-) logistics.
To achieve these goals, the focus is on the following research and application areas:
- Dexterous Robotic Hands: An AI-based software enables robotic hands to autonomously grasp, rotate, and place components at a specified location. This significantly reduces the effort required for programming and configuration. The solution helps companies to efficiently automate processes in production and logistics, even when dealing with small quantities and a wide variety of components.
- Intelligent Mobile Manipulation: The combination of handling functions with mobile or humanoid robots increases the radius of action of an automation solution. The associated AI-based software concentrates, for example, on learning and imitating from demonstration or voice input to make programming and setup easier. This enables more flexible usage of mobile manipulators.
- Engineering: Fraunhofer IAO focuses on model-based development and IT support for more efficient robot systems.