(this article is related to PEAMS co-innovation project)
Innovative Ecosystem
Finnish automation industry and research form an ecosystem initiated and supported by FIMA. All the partners have their own specific sweet spots, but our common history spans decades: A productive collaboration has long been an essential part of R&D activities on our way to world-class developers and manufacturers of intelligent machines and robotics.
Innovation platforms are the nutrition for flourishing co-operation. Typically, when the blushing ideas and concepts are fumbling a match with a real-world application, they are exposed to vigorous testing. In software development, in particular, we often refer to agile development methods. Being agile actually means being highly disciplined: it is a well-established process specifically devised for continuous improvement. The grounds for success is – again – experimenting at all phases of R&D.
Demonstration Platform
For the first trials, the anatomy of physical machinery needs to be simplified. Hence, we like to play with small mobile robots that – nevertheless – might be equipped with highly realistic control electronics, sensors, cameras, and displays. These miniature machines and laboratory layouts are a significant step on the way. However, what we are then purposely omitting is the kinematics of real-sized machinery and the complex interaction with the prevalent physics of the environment. So how to speed up to succeed even faster?
In PEAMS collaborative research project we study sustainable open source software and shared infra for autonomous machines − one of the key interests being ROS2 as the platform. One of its highlights is to verify the methods and results with an indoor logistics demonstration built inside of an actual 24/7 warehouse. Partners such as Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe Oy, Navitec Systems, GIM Robotics, Exertus, and Atostek will bring not only their competence but also machines, gadgets, and software modules to contribute to the demo setup. The glue for all this is the outcome of the high-end research conducted by Tampere University and Helsinki University.
Within PEAMS it is not only the ideas, concepts, and theoretical research questions we will take on together: To cultivate the spirit of open innovation and an agile way of working we are stepping on the same ground, literally. The Open Innovation Platform becomes a genuinely common testing and demonstration environment – spiced up with the buzzing life of an industrial site.
Written by
Anna-Kaisa Repo
Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe Oy