European Robotics Forum 2024

The European Robotics Forum (ERF) 2024, a paramount event in the field of applied robotics, is set to be held from March 13 to 15 at the PalaCongressi in Rimini, Italy. Organized under the auspices of the University of Bologna and euRobotics, this forum is an annual gathering that brings together leading figures in research and industry. It aims to foster collaboration in community research projects and technology transfer. Lorenzo Marconi, the event’s scientific director, provided insights into the forum’s content.

The ERF, an itinerant symposium, is not just a platform for discussing the state of the art in industrial applications and technological transfer in robotics. It also serves as a crucial meeting point to discuss initiatives from the European Commission and to generate ideas for major community-funded research projects. This year’s edition, as explained by Marconi, will have a pronounced scientific focus, including nine sessions, one of which is specifically targeted at industrial applications. There will be around eighty workshops exploring various fields of robotics application such as logistics, medicine, manufacturing, collaborative robotics, human-machine interfaces, and digital twins.

In addition to fostering an effective network between universities and industries, the forum also includes moments to value and reward the transition of ideas from academia to industry, like the Technology Transfer Award. This year, the forum has also emphasized attracting papers from universities and other institutions that address industry-driven research themes.

The event will feature three challenges and a hackathon designed to attract European research teams to robotic competitions. One challenge involves the use of robotic dogs by Unitree in a disaster scenario, while another is part of the Leonardo Drone Contest, focusing on drone flights in GPS-deprived urban canyon environments. A further challenge involves agricultural scenarios, with collaborative robots by Universal Robots programmed for apple picking.

ERF 2024 also includes initiatives for high school students, aimed at guiding them towards robotic studies. It involves challenges using robot kits provided to classes in late 2023 for preparation. Additionally, for professionals, there will be technical tours of significant local industrial sites like Ducati, Dallara, and Electrolux’s production site in Forlì.

The organizers expect around 1,500 attendees, including speakers, researchers, and interested public, marking a significant increase from the 1,300 participants at the 2023 edition in Odense, Denmark.