The University of Twente's new Robotics Centre was festively launched during the Robotics Day on campus. About three hundred visitors marked this special milestone. The centre is the place where all research and education in the field of robotics at UT come together. Students, researchers, and partners work here together on solutions that improve our daily lives.
The day was entirely dedicated to robotics. Twan van Koolen, Software Engineer at Boston Dynamics, where he works on the Atlas robot, kicked off the event. During his presentation, he took the more than 300 attendees on a journey through his experiences in the world of robotics, from his time at RoboCup to his current position.
INSIGHT INTO ROBOTICS RESEARCH
After the keynote, the robotics tour offered the opportunity to explore the various robotics labs of the University of Twente and learn more about the latest developments in robotics research.
Additionally, panel discussions featuring prominent scientists, students, and representatives from various application fields of the Robotics Centre provided valuable insights into future challenges and opportunities. These discussions covered a variety of topics, such as debating whether industry should have as much influence as researchers in determining priorities and whether it is possible to fully eliminate AI biases.
The day ended with a festive launch of the Robotics Centre, complete with a countdown, purple confetti, and champagne handed out by robots.
BUNDLING OF EXPERTISE
Steven van Roon, manager business & operations of the Robotics Centre of the University of Twente: “The centre focuses on the development of robot innovations for various applications, such as medical care, industrial processes, and daily life. The multidisciplinary centre brings together education, research, and innovation and has an eye for the combination of technology, people, and society. In addition to developing new solutions, the centre also aims to be a place for inspiration, discussion, and dialogue on social, ethical, and organizational issues related to robotics.”
The Robotics Centre is a joint initiative of the faculties of Engineering Technology (ET) and Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science (EEMCS) and actively collaborates with the other faculties and UT research institutes. The two deans are enthusiastic and see the centre as a unique knowledge centre working on robot technology to improve our lives and bring together various initiatives of the University of Twente.
Although there is currently no physical location, the Robotics Centre of the University of Twente has officially started to bring together all expertise in the field of robotics. For the time being, the centre uses the various robotics labs on the campus as infrastructure, and plans are being made for a dedicated space on the campus.
This article was first published on 29 March by University of Twente.
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