H-RoC: Human-Robot Cooperation – Cooperation between humans and mobile robots in unstructured environments
Until recently, robots were primarily used in factories. Their sensory capabilities were limited—and consequently, so was their scope of application, in order to avoid endangering operating personnel. In recent years, however, intelligent service robots have increasingly been deployed in real-world settings; they successfully perform a wide variety of tasks—such as those too monotonous or dangerous for humans—even in unstructured environments. Service robots represent an interdisciplinary application spanning mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science. Saxony possesses significant industrial strengths in all three of these disciplines. A unified, state-wide integrated initiative can therefore generate synergies across all three industrial sectors. Accordingly, this framework concept proposes a research focus titled "Robots in saXony (RoX)" and identifies specific areas of work for coordinated individual projects within this thematic scope. The framework concept addresses the three thematic areas of "Cognitive Robotics," "Embedded Systems and Cyber-Physical Systems," and "Virtual Reality, Simulation, and Integrated Engineering." developed.
The strategic goals of this research focus are:
- Increasing the international visibility of research on service robotics in Saxony
- Networking robotics research in Saxony across higher education institutions and with other disciplines at the respective locations
- Application-oriented basic research for the development of robot software
- Demonstrating application potential through the development of prototype systems
- Developing cross-location teaching platforms
