At the European Robotics Forum (ERF2019), the most influential meeting of the robotics community in Europe, this year held in Bucharest (Romania), from 20-22 March 2019, ROBOTT-NET participated manifold.

The project organised a well-received workshop “From Technology Transfer Initiatives to Digital Innovation Hubs” on 20 March 2019 together with similar projects such as L4MS and participated in several other workshops.

The workshop started with an introduction by Cécile Huet from the European Commission to the new Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) in Robotics set up across the EU highlighting their aims and approach to technology transfer with references to other related initiatives such as the European AI on-demand Platform.

This presentation was followed from an experience report by Christoph Hellmann (FhG IPA) on RoboTT-NET experiences and lessons learnt “Crossing borders with RoboTT-NET : An European Robotics RTOs network for Tech Transfer”. Followed by the presentation on the L4MS project by Ali Muhammad (VTT).

The session continued with the presence of representatives of the four DIH projects in Robotics (DIH-Hero, RIMA, DIH², Trinity) and with Geoff Pegman representing RODIN (the CSA that will sup-port the previously mentioned DIH projects. Where after a short introduction on the landscape on the Robotics DIHs projects by Geoff Pegman (RuRobots), the four DIH projects made a short intro-duction to their initiatives : DIH-Hero represented by Françoise Siepel (UT), RIMA represented by Christophe Leroux (CEA), DIH² represented by Ali Muhammad (VTT) and Trinity represented by Minna Lanz (TUT). Finally, a round table with RoboTT-Net, L4MS and RODIN carried out a dialog with the mentioned Robotics DIHs projects.

This year’s edition of the ERF has brought together, under the theme "Robots for Humans: AI for the real world", over 900 attendees from robotics academia and industry and hosted over 50 workshops cover current societal and technical themes, including AI and Robotics and how robotics can improve industrial productivity and service sector operations.

In 2020, European Robotics Forum will be held on March, 3rd – 5th, in Malaga (Spain).