Introducing the new Topic Group (TG) on ‘Robotics for Sustainability and Environmental Aspects’” Read more about the motivation behind the TG, its planned activities and how you can get involved.
Robotics for Sustainability and Environmental Aspects: the new TG
The use of robotics is increasing around the world and robots can support sustainability in all aspects, such as fighting climate change, helping to recycle, decreasing waste in manufacturing, reducing the use of chemicals in farming, and more. Robotics can be exploited for sustainability by making robots themselves more sustainable. Additionally, robots have skills such as strength, precision and sensing which often surpass those of humans. Combining the physical endurance of robots with the cognitive flexibility of humans in a collaborative fashion is advantageous in different applications that enable sustainability and support environmental aspects. However, there is a lack of understanding, of active research and even of definition of sustainability (social, ecological and economic) and the role of robotics. The European Commission is very much interested in pursuing the topics of Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal, which are reflected in the Horizon Europe programme. Therefore, the main focus of the Sustainability TG is on how robotics can solve the challenges related to sustainability and aid the environment, and on whether robots are the solution or a problem of their own for sustainability.
With this as the motivation, the Topic Group on ‘Robotics for Sustainability and Environmental Aspects’ was established.
The following activities are planned:
- Discussions and active participation in defining relevant aspects of sustainability and environmental aspects and the role of robotics in achieving them
- Preparation of white papers about these discussions
- Preparation of a roadmap that presents current activities in the form of use cases and challenges as well as future trends
The Topic Group will also organize four workshops at the European Robotics Forum 2022:
- Robotics for Sustainability – Manufacturing of Sustainable Robots
- Application of Robotics in Sustainability and Environmental aspects
- Industrial Robots and Sustainability
- Social Robots: the Duality of Sustainability and Societal Applications
If you are interested in joining the Topic Group, please contact one of the Topic Group leaders:
Franziska Kirstein <fk@blue-ocean-robotics.com>, Blue Ocean Robotics, Denmark
Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi <Sharath.Akkaladevi@profactor.at>, Profactor GmbH, Austria
For more information, please visit https://www.profactor.at/events/sustainabilitytg/