At euROBIN, cooperative robot competitions (coopetitions) are a powerful mechanism enabling advancing robotics and AI education, research and technical transfer while addressing the EU’s societal, economic, and environmental priorities. By fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and aligning with real-world needs, euROBIN coopetitions ensure that the EU remains at the forefront of sustainable and ethical technological advancement. These structured, impact-driven events provide a blueprint for integrating robotics and AI into solutions that benefit all facets of European society while advancing global goals like the EU Green Deal or the  United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

We first analyse the social impact of euROBIN cooperative robot competitions (coopetitions): 

• By designing challenges that reflect pressing societal needs - such as automation, elderly care, disaster response and public safety - competitions ensure that robotic solutions are directly applicable and impactful in real-world scenarios.
  Scenarios involving human-robot interaction, especially in shared spaces, improve the social acceptance of robots, fostering trust and inclusion.
• These competitions provide a platform for interdisciplinary teams to work together, improving robotics and artificial intelligence skills in the academic, industrial and public sectors.
  They create opportunities for young researchers, entrepreneurs and SMEs to participate in cutting-edge projects, ensuring a continuous flow of innovation and talent. In addition, students learn to work in teams and under time pressure, resulting in creative solutions to challenging problems. 

What about their economic impact? 

• They boost innovation by stimulating technological advances by setting high benchmarks and incentivising innovative solutions to solve a common problem for all participating teams. This encourages the rapid development and deployment of new robotics and artificial intelligence technologies.
  They also provide a test-bed for emerging technologies, accelerating their commercialisation and lowering market entry barriers for SMEs and start-ups.
• Competitive collaboration reinforces Europe's leadership in robotics and AI by creating strong ecosystems where stakeholders work together to solve complex problems while maintaining a spirit of innovation, driven by competition.
• Challenges focused on specific sectors, such as manufacturing, logistics, freight transport or healthcare, lead to targeted solutions that improve productivity and efficiency, benefiting European industries.

and on the environmental dise?

• The environmental impact of these Coopetitions is highlighted by the fact that they can focus on environmentally beneficial applications such as waste management, recycling and precision agriculture. These challenges encourage the development of robots that optimise resource use, minimise emissions and support a circular economy.
• Robotic solutions for monitoring and mitigating climate change – such as drones for environmental assessments or robots for ecosystem restoration – can be advanced through specific challenges.
• Finally, by emphasising energy-efficient robotic systems and hardware, the competitions contribute to the broader goal of sustainable technological development, addressing key environmental issues.

EuROBIN cooperative robot competitions (coopetitions) serve as a transformative platform driving social, economic, and environmental advancements in robotics and AI. By addressing societal needs such as automation, elderly care, and disaster response, they ensure robotic solutions are impactful and widely accepted, fostering trust and inclusion. These events catalyze economic growth by spurring innovation, accelerating technology commercialization, and strengthening Europe's global leadership in robotics. Sector-specific challenges further enhance productivity and efficiency across industries. On the environmental front, coopetitions inspire sustainable solutions, from waste management and precision agriculture to climate change mitigation, aligning robotics advancements with global sustainability goals. Collectively, euROBIN coopetitions underscore the potential of robotics and AI to create a smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable future for Europe and beyond.

 

 

 

euROBIN, the European initiative for collaborative robotics is excited to announce its 3rd Open Call for the Technology Exchange Programme. Nine selected researchers, companies or academic institutions will receive funding of up to €60,000 through this exciting opportunity to incorporate and test their robotics innovation.

 

Closing the Gap Between Research and Development

Technology Exchange Programme is designed to close the gap between innovative research and practical implementation. The successful applicants will have access to some of the most sophisticated robotic technologies in Europe hosted by euROBIN core teams.

 

This unique opportunity allows beneficiaries to:

• Test their already working robotics solutions in the real world so that they can have them be really tested.
• Get insights from global leaders in robotics through expert access opportunities with euROBIN collaborators.
• Leverage the EuroCore Repository — a wealth of simulation tools, datasets, and software frameworks to help fast-track project development.

 

The 3rd Open Call is open to single entities, i.e. applicants companies, research organisations or academic institutions – registered in the EU or associated countries.

Applications are welcome from November 20, 2024 (1PM Brussels Time) and will close on February 19, 2025 (5PM Brussels time.)

Potential applicants can find details and submit their proposals at the euROBIN website and application portal: https://eurobin-network.fundingbox.com.

 

 

euROBIN, announces its first Open Call for Collaborative Projects. The call allows for innovative organizations to obtain up to €60,000 in funding to validate and demonstrate AI and robotics technologies.

The chosen projects will benefit from an abundance of resources — including the European Robotics Code and Data Repository (EuroCore). It provides various tools, datasets and software frameworks for creating and testing robotics solutions.

Entry Requirements: applicants should be a single legal entity – i.e. company, research organisation or academic institution – registered in the EU or associated countries. Proposed projects should target areas of major research need in robotics—for example:

• Perception methods for the realization of complex manipulation tasks, or for the navigation in either domestic environments or in outdoor urban scenarios.
• Software modules that extend the range of functionalities of robots to conduct daily life tasks and facilitate interaction with human users.
• Novel mechanisms that improve the dexterity and reliability of robots, or novel robot platforms whose features and capabilities may be of particular interest in some application domains.
• Simulation tools combined with advanced Artificial Intelligence techniques that have the potential to speed up the development of general robot skills.

The first Open Call application period opens on 20 November 2024 and closes on 19 February 2025. More details and how to apply for proposals are featured on the euROBIN website, as well as through the application portal: https://eurobin-network.fundingbox.com/

Successful applicants to this Open Call will gain the chance to collaborate with leading robotics experts, access cutting-edge technology and advancement of robotics research and innovation.