Robotics and Cobotics / PERSYVAL-Minalogic Breakfasts

Robotics is currently experiencing unprecedented growth thanks to continuous progress in hardware (sensors, computers, actuators) as well as software (perception, decision-making, control), making it possible to solve increasingly complex tasks and regularly tackle new application areas. 

The European Commission estimates that the global robotics market will reach €100 billion by 2020. However, robotics remains complex and costly to implement. 

The goal of cobotics is to improve cooperation capabilities between humans and robots, by combining human dexterity, flexibility, and advanced cognitive abilities with robot strength, endurance, and precision. The objective is to enable new uses and address new needs that current robots cannot meet.

The purpose of this morning session is to provide an overview of current research and applications in robotics, with a focus on mobile robotics and cobotics.

Program and presentations

• 08:30-08:45: Introductory talk
  From robotics to cobotics
  Pierre-Brice Wieber, French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation (Inria)
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• 08:45-09:45: Specialized talks
  • Mobile robotics
    Olivier Aycard, Laboratoire d'Informatique de Grenoble
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    Generally speaking, the term "mobile robots" refers to all robots with a mobile base, as opposed to manipulator arms. In this talk, we will limit our focus to wheeled mobile robots, which make up the vast majority of mobile robots.
    Despite their apparent simplicity compared to legged robots, for example, these systems present a wide range of difficult challenges that remain unsolved. Unlike manipulator arms, which operate in controlled environments and perform relatively repetitive tasks, mobile robots navigate autonomously in environments not specifically designed for them. Nevertheless, thanks to recent technological advances and progress in mobile robotics research, industrial applications for mobile robots are beginning to emerge.
    This talk aims to provide an overview of current mobile robotics. We will first introduce what a mobile robot is, with a focus on sensors and actuators. We will then examine the challenges in this field, specifically the software approaches that bridge the gap between sensors and actuators. Finally, we will showcase some industrial applications of mobile robotics. This presentation will feature the @RobairLig mobile robot developed at the Laboratoire d'Informatique de Grenoble.
  • Smooth and flexible integration of cobots in industrial environments: Programming by demonstration
    Damien Pellier, Laboratoire d'Informatique de Grenoble
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    The ambition of cobotics (or collaborative robotics) in industrial settings is to "take the industrial robot out of its safety cage" so it can work alongside human operators at the same workstation. Humans and robots work together seamlessly, side by side, and safely to perform tasks that combine physical effort and human expertise (such as bin picking, part assembly, and product packaging/palletization that require taking the context and its uncertainties into account).
    These cobots are particularly anticipated by Small and Medium-sized Industries (SMIs) to meet their needs for flexibility. Indeed, SMIs face increasingly rapid product line renewals and a growing demand for customized products.
    In this talk, we present an overview of current cobot offerings and a new approach to cobot programming known as "programming by demonstration." This method is designed for production operators who may not be experts in programming languages, but possess deep expertise in task execution. This approach opens up new markets in industrial environments with little or no automation that require high production flexibility.
• 09:45-10:00: Conclusion
  Summary of collaboration methods, LabEx teams, and master's programs related to this topic
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• 10:00-10:30: Discussion session (can be extended until 11:00 AM for those who wish)