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On 27 March, maxon Benelux organised the first edition of Robotics Day in Eindhoven. This initiative brought together experts, companies and technology enthusiasts, offering them a platform to share knowledge, exchange ideas and brainstorm solutions to the challenges still facing the robotics industry.
“There is a lot of movement in the robotics market. At maxon Benelux, we believe it is important to share experiences and encourage collaboration. That is why we organised this event. During four inspiring presentations with demos, we zoomed in on targeted innovations and the future of robotics – with injections from the next generation.”
As a specialist in advanced drive systems and motors, maxon Benelux is uniquely positioned to not only supply hardware solutions, but also to actively contribute to the development of the software side of robotics. The presentation by Alessandro Forino, robotics engineer at maxon Benelux, was a perfect example of this.
Forino discussed the evolution of robotics from traditional, model-based robots to a future in which Reinforcement Learning (RL) plays a key role. “Where we used to have model-based systems such as Honda Asimo, the focus is now shifting to an approach in which AI models improve themselves through trial and error learning,” explains Forino.
According to maxon Benelux, this technology offers great potential for flexible and scalable systems. The transition to AI-controlled actuators and decentralised neural networks can not only improve performance, but also increase reliability and efficiency. And that is precisely what maxon Benelux strives for: better solutions that can be applied in complex and dynamic environments.
maxon Benelux believes that collaboration is essential to meet the challenges of robotics. Whether it is overcoming technological limitations or creating acceptance among end users, progress is only possible through a multidisciplinary approach. Robotics Day was therefore deliberately set up as a platform for dialogue and collaboration. In addition to Forino's presentation, there were also contributions from Tech United, Saxion University, and ExRobotics.
Since 2006, the student team at Tech United (TU Eindhoven) has been developing football robots with which they participate in the RoboCup competition. Their ambition to play against human opponents by 2050 sets the bar high. In addition, they are working on care robots that not only navigate and detect objects, but also have to be able to learn effectively through speech detection.
The Smart Mechatronics and Robotics research team at Saxion University works on demand to tackle social challenges. Examples include a firefighting drone for safer firefighting and a robot dog for inspecting pipelines. The potential is enormous, but the availability of technicians who can continue to work on robotics tomorrow is a concern.
ExRobotics focuses on mobile robots for industrial applications, such as inspections in locations with explosion hazards. Data is collected and analysed using digital twins and AI to make inspections more efficient. What one robot learns can be directly transferred to other robots, enabling economies of scale.
The speakers agreed on the outlook for robotics: there is a need for standardisation, an integrated approach and the involvement of human capital in technological innovations. This will enable robotics to be used in a more targeted manner and increase its acceptance.
maxon Benelux is determined to remain at the forefront of robotics development. “We don't just want to supply hardware, we also want to work with customers to continuously improve systems and tailor them to the specific applications they need. Our strength lies in seamlessly combining technology, customer focus and innovation,‘ says Forino.
Robotics Day was a great success and demonstrated the importance of engaging in dialogue to enable more targeted applications in industry and other sectors. Working together to build a future in which robotics is an integral part of society... the experts are ready.
