The primary objective of this team is advance research in artificial intelligence and the Industry 4.0 concepts. This involves developing advanced methods in the field of industrial robotics that align with the aforementioned Industry 4.0 concept. To verify research and development activities and ensure competitiveness, a unique laboratory of cybernetics and robotics was created within the institute, called the Robotic Cell of Industry 4.0, abbreviated as I4C (Industry 4.0 Cell).
The laboratory engages in fundamental and applied research on the interconnection of artificial intelligence techniques and autonomous robotic systems, with a particular focus on the versatility, adaptability, and scalability necessary to accommodate future expansion. The primary objective of the laboratory is twofold: firstly, to conduct research in areas such as effective planning of robotic movement in unstructured environments, intelligent grasping of a wide range of objects, bio-inspired robotics, anomaly detection and machine perception, and physical simulation; and secondly, to improve the field of education with more effective approaches to understanding key technologies within the Industry 4.0 paradigm.
In the field of Industry 4.0, including the subfields of artificial intelligence, digitization, robotics, and automation, priorities are focused on resolving complex tasks. The laboratory's primary focus is on fundamental research, which is subsequently transformed into applied research in collaboration with industrial partners.
In order to compare the Czech Republic and Austria in the field of Industry 4.0, particularly regarding robotic laboratories, the institute joined the project titled "Networking of Industry 4.0 Industrial Testbeds in Czech-Austrian Cooperation" from the operational program Interreg V-A Austria. The final discussion showed that the Industry 4.0 Cell (I4C) is a competitive robotics laboratory in both the Czech Republic and Austria.
The findings of the robotics laboratory are presented in a variety of formats, including conferences held in the Czech Republic and abroad, scientific publications, promotional videos, and other forms of popularization of science and research. The progress of the laboratory is supported by the institute's strong connections with industrial partners, including SMC Industrial Automation, B&R Automation, and ABB Robotics, as well as organizations such as the Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Industry 4.0 Cluster, and the Research and Innovation Center Intemac.
Equipment
The Industry 4.0 Cell (I4C) contains a variety of robotic structures that represent a selection of the most common geometric representations used in robotics research. The robotic structures include an industrial robot ABB IRB 120 with six degrees of freedom (DoF), extended by a linear axis to provide seven DoF, a SCARA robot Epson LS3-B401S with four DoF, a dual-arm collaborative robot ABB IRB14000 with seven DoF on each arm, and finally, a collaborative robot Universal Robots UR3 with six DoF. The laboratory also has standard and modular end-effectors for the aforementioned robotic equipment.
In terms of automation, the I4C includes synchronous and asynchronous motors from B&R Automation, along with control systems, frequency converters, and linear axes from SMC Industrial Automation, all of which are controlled by the aforementioned motors. Furthermore, the laboratory is equipped with machine vision systems for 2D (Basler, Cognex) and 3D (Photoneo, Intel RealSense, Kinect) image processing. Moreover, the laboratory is equipped with Prusa 3D printers and powerful personal computers (PCs) containing NVIDIA graphics cards, which are used for the training of neural networks and the development of physical simulations.