The third reporting period (M25-M48) marked significant progress in the ACROBA project, ensuring the completion and validation of objectives. WP3 refined and tested sensorized robotic cells, improving setup times and optimizing bin-picking, inspection, and contour mapping, while validating human-robot collaboration (HRC) systems for safety. WP4 and WP5 deployed the ACROBA platform in real industrial settings, implementing fully automated "lights-out" lines in plastic and medical device industries and optimizing collaborative robotic cells for electronics and motor manufacturing. WP6 assessed the scalability and flexibility of the platform, conducting tests across five use cases and establishing ACROBA On-Site Labs (AOSLs) at ENSTO (Finland) and Croom Medical (Ireland) to validate complex tasks such as medical device inspection and bin-picking. WP7 focused on increasing project visibility through online content, hackathons, and major events such as Automatica 2023 and the European Robotics Forum 2024. WP8 finalized Exploitation and Sustainability Plans, initiated a joint venture, and refined standardization strategies, confirming that ACROBA has no direct competitors offering a similarly integrated solution. WP9 ensured efficient project management, with risk mitigation strategies, monthly coordination meetings, and financial forecasting, while WP10 maintained compliance with ethics and data protection regulations, performing a data protection impact assessment aligned with GDPR and AI Act.
The ACROBA project successfully demonstrated its cognitive robotic platform in multiple industrial applications, validating flexibility, scalability, and safety while achieving significant reductions in hardware, software engineering, and commissioning costs. Advanced safety measures for HRC were implemented, ensuring compliance with international standards. ACROBA also contributed to standardization efforts by defining methodologies for workplace safety and HRC process descriptions. From an exploitation perspective, the project laid the foundation for commercialization through the formation of a joint venture and the establishment of the Single Entry Point (SEP) web platform to facilitate future adoption. Several companies, including ENSTO and Croom Medical, have already expressed interest in integrating ACROBA into their manufacturing processes. Dissemination efforts included six mini-hackathons and one mega-hackathon with over 150 participants, as well as extensive industry visibility through scientific publications, presentations, and events such as Automatica 2023 and ROSConFr 2024. With successful validation across diverse industrial environments, ACROBA is positioned for future adoption. Its strong exploitation strategy and continued engagement with industry stakeholders will drive advancements in intelligent robotic automation and ensure a lasting impact in agile production.
