Enabling Robotics Innovation: From Research to Products

Since year 2000 about EUR 700 million have been invested in Europe by the EU, academia and industry in robotics research. Thousands of research papers have been published and increased the global robotics knowledge, but the transfer from research into innovations and new products has been more difficult and disappointing for market players and consumers. 

The theme of the European Robotics Forum 2011 is "Enabling innovation: from research to products". The theme is inspired by last year's theme, "Bridging the gap": the discussion around that theme led to the observation that the perceived gap between academia and industry in robotics is much smaller than the broad gap between new robotics developments and "the service robot customer".
The European Robotics Forum is a co-organisation by the networks EUROP (European Technology Robotics Platform) and EURON (European Robotics Research Network) and will take place in Vasteras, Sweden on April 6-8, 2011, hosted by Swedish Robotdalen.
More information about the ERF can be found online.

EUROP/EURON 2010

For the first time both EUROP and EURON held their annual meetings during the same period and at the same location - San Sebastian, Spain. Both EUROP and EURON members welcome this opportunity for exchange and communication of ideas among their members. This move facilitated EUROP and EURON's joint collaboration efforts in organising workshops during the first common day.

The first workshop was on real technical problems and the other workshop was about social challenges. The conclusion after the two workshops was that more technical details and more problem description from the product visions are needed.

Tackling societal challenges such as aging society, climate change and sustainable manufacturing very concrete descriptions of product visions are needed for an upcoming position paper prepared by EUROP.

For information about the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for robotics in Europe visit EUROP´s SRA webpage where you also can download a copy for free.

Euron/Europ annual meetings 2010, 2011

The EURON and EUROP Boards have taken a decision about the organisation of their Annual Meetings of 2010 and 2011. The 2010 meeting will be organised in cooperation with Fatronik/Tecnalia in San Sebastian, Spain and the 2011 meeting will be organised by Robotdalen in Västerås, Sweden.