RoboSAPIENS was launched in January 2024 by an international consortium. While conventional industrial robots usually only work in fixed paths and under stable boundary conditions, the project aims to enable robotic systems to react dynamically to changes - for example to a changed production environment, disruptions in the process or direct contact with humans.

At the heart of the project is an intelligent control architecture that combines artificial intelligence methods with virtual models. This means that adjustments can first be tested in the digital twin before being implemented in the real factory environment. This approach makes it possible to reliably evaluate new strategies and significantly reduce risks during operation.

A particular focus is on security. Adaptations should not only be efficient, but also traceable and trustworthy at all times. This creates a key prerequisite for the use of self-adaptive robotics in complex industrial applications.

Fraunhofer IFF as practice partner

The Fraunhofer IFF in Magdeburg is playing a central role in the project. As a practical partner, the institute is testing the developed concepts in realistic scenarios. The focus is particularly on cooperation between humans and robots in flexible production environments - in other words, precisely where adaptability and reliability are of crucial importance.

The researchers at the Fraunhofer IFF have now presented their first promising results. These show that robots can dynamically adapt their strategies during ongoing processes, for example in the event of disruptions or unexpected changes in the environment. Digital twins serve as a central tool to test these adaptations virtually in advance and thus minimize risks for real operation. In addition, new mechanisms are used to ensure that the safety of the people involved is guaranteed at all times, even during the adaptation process.

Specifically, the project is implementing the combination of the "force and power limitation" and "speed and distance monitoring" safety modes in accordance with ISO/TS 15066. This approach combines the best of both worlds: If there is no human in the workspace, the robot moves quickly and efficiently. If a person approaches, the speed adapts to the specific part of the body, but always remains at the permitted maximum. This results in productive human-robot collaboration that is not restricted by unnecessary efficiency losses.

Intelligent robotics on the way to industrial applications

These results show that the RoboSAPIENS vision can be realized: powerful robots that are both trustworthy and adaptable. In the coming months, the project will intensify its collaboration with industrial partners in order to test and further validate the developed solutions in real production environments. The aim is to provide a demonstrably safe and practice-ready architecture that can be widely used in European industrial companies.