CONVERGING Demonstatrated its showcases at the BIEMH24

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CONVERGING Demonstatrated its showcases at the BIEMH24

1 July 2024 / Comments

Welcome to the Sentient Factory: CONVERGING at TECNALIA’s Booth BIEMH 2024

As the industrial landscape continuously evolves, through the CONVERGING project, TECNALIA leads the charge towards a future where factories are not just smart, but sentient. At the BIEMH 2024 event, TECNALIA unveiled this vision through their interactive booth, showcasing groundbreaking advancements developed under the CONVERGING project.

The Sentient Factory: A Paradigm Shift

The CONVERGING project is at the heart of TECNALIA’s vision for the Sentient Factory, which emphasizes continuous evolution and adaptation over abrupt industrial revolutions. This project aims to seamlessly integrate advanced technologies into manufacturing processes, creating an intelligent, responsive, and adaptive factory environment. At BIEMH 2024, TECNALIA showcased two groundbreaking use-cases from the CONVERGING project, highlighting their practical applications and direct impact on the industry.

Showcasing Innovation: CONVERGING at TECNALIA's Booth

1. Watch & Work: Scan&Plan with Augmented Reality

The Watch & Work demonstration was a highlight of TECNALIA’s booth, showcasing real-time planning and execution of robotic tasks through 3D acquisitions and augmented reality (AR). This technology is designed to address the challenges of traditional robotics, especially in environments with numerous variations and short production runs.

Key Innovations:

  • No Manual Programming Needed: Operators guide the robot using intuitive AR tools, eliminating the need for manual programming.
  • Real-Time Adaptability: The system dynamically adjusts to changes in part geometry or presentation, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness.
  • Dynamic Trajectory Generation: Real-time adaptations based on process feedback ensure optimal performance.

Demonstration Highlights:

  • Unattended Mode: The robot autonomously scans, plans, and polishes in a continuous loop, showcasing its self-sufficiency.
  • Attended Mode: Operators use AR glasses to interact with the robot, providing precise instructions and monitoring the process on dual screens displaying AR and 3D views.

This demonstration illustrated how the Watch & Work technologies can significantly enhance manufacturing efficiency and flexibility, embodying the Sentient Factory’s core principles.

2. Program by Conversation: Interaction with Kawada Robot Using Generative AI

The Program by Conversation demonstration showcased the power of generative AI in simplifying robotic programming through voice commands. This innovative approach allows operators to instruct robots using natural language, transforming how we interact with automated systems.

Key Innovations:

  • Voice Interaction: Large Language Models (LLMs) translate spoken instructions into executable robot tasks.
  • Real-Time Task Programming: Immediate modifications to robot actions based on verbal commands enhance operational flexibility and efficiency.

Demonstration Highlights:

  • Unattended Mode: The robot autonomously performs repetitive operations, demonstrating its capability for consistent, reliable performance.
  • Attended Mode: Technical personnel interact with an avatar via voice, guiding the robot to assemble components of an Electrolux cooktop. The system allows for free-form interaction, enabling users to instruct and modify the robot's actions in real-time.

This demonstration exemplified how voice interaction and generative AI can simplify complex processes, making industrial automation more accessible and adaptive.

The Sentient Factory: A Vision of Continuous Evolution

TECNALIA’s participation in BIEMH 2024 underscored their commitment to the Sentient Factory concept—a factory that continuously evolves and adapts to changing conditions. This vision is built on two main pillars:

  1. Human-Centric Innovation: Placing people at the center of technological advancements, ensuring that innovations serve and empower individuals.
  2. Ecosystem Integration: Building resilient, collaborative industrial ecosystems that connect all relevant stakeholders, fostering shared value and innovation.

Four Axes of Transformation

TECNALIA's approach to evolving industrial production is structured around four key axes:

  1. Technology at the Service of the Person: Enabling natural, intuitive interactions with technology, making it more responsive to human needs.
  2. Adaptive/Flexible Production: Merging physical and digital realms to create a fluid, dynamic production environment.
  3. Extended/Ubiquitous Factory: Utilizing connectivity and remote operation to manage production across multiple locations.
  4. Collaborative Industrial Ecosystem: Fostering collaboration across complex value chains, enhancing resilience and innovation.