As a co-founder of the Robotics Institute Germany (RIG), the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA contributes its expertise in application-oriented research, technology transfer and open source software.

A total of 21 renowned robotics locations in Germany are involved. These include eight universities, the Fraunhofer IPA, the two Fraunhofer Institutes IOSB and IML as well as non-university research institutes and associations. In addition, there are currently 19 associated partners.

The aim is for the RIG to use robotics to build on innovations in the chemical, pharmaceutical and automotive industries, which have established Germany as an industrial nation in the past and ensured prosperity and growth for decades. The starting conditions are good: experts from Germany are among the international leaders in AI-based robotics and have made significant contributions to the global robotics landscape. The task now is to pool these valuable resources, strengthen them strategically and develop them into a locational advantage for the German economy.

Contributions of the Fraunhofer IPA to the RIG

Fraunhofer IPA contributes expertise in application-oriented research, technology transfer and open source software. The focus is on the following three areas:

• With the free middleware "Robot Operating System" (ROS), the ROS-Industrial initiative and the publication of open source software, the institute promotes technology transfer to industry. Fraunhofer IPA has been leading the European branch of the initiative for ten years and therefore has extensive knowledge and a strong international network.
• With its focus on applied research, Fraunhofer IPA contributes to the roadmap for AI-controlled robots. Through its involvement in various national and international committees, organizations and associations, the institute can provide first-hand strategic knowledge.
• Fraunhofer IPA also offers numerous training opportunities for experts in the development and use of AI-controlled robots.

Angela Schoellig from the consortium leader, the Technical University of Munich, and RIG spokesperson Tamim Asfour from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology presented the RIG concept at the "AI-based robotics" conference in Berlin in June. The decentralized network is currently scheduled to run for four years. It was launched on July 1, 2024, with the kick-off meeting taking place on July 29 and 30 in Garching near Munich. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the development of the RIG in the first phase with 20 million euros.