Research project RoX – Enabling AI Robotics
AI-based robotics for self-programming automation
As part of the national research project RoX, Gluth is developing an AI-supported robot application incl. a digital twin for a cleaning process in the pharmaceutical industry.
On 17 March 2025, we had the opportunity to exchange ideas with our esteemed research partner at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich as part of our RoX research project.
After a comprehensive tour of the campus and various laboratories, we gained valuable insights into the use of digital twins, AI applications and other research projects at the university.
We were then able to give a lecture to students and professors, in which Gluth company was introduced and questions about the RoX project were answered. Highlights included the discussions about cluster algorithms, the AI-based creation of trajectories for robotics and the complex hybrid gripping system.
The experience was extremely valuable for us and emphasises the importance of practical topics for academic education.
We look forward to further intensifying our contact and welcome all interested parties to join us.
On 19 Feb 2025, the Straubinger Tagblatt reported on the RoX research project and the role of Gluth Systemtechnik in this innovative project.
On 4 and 5 December, we had the fantastic opportunity to take part in an exciting workshop at the Intrinsic office in Munich, which was initiated by Intrinsic company. The focus was on innovative software development as part of the RoX research project. The event was a great first step to gather requirements and analyse key topics for the RoX ecosystem. This information will be helpful in the development of AI-supported robot solutions within the RoX ecosystem.
For us as an integrator of special machines with robotics, the exchange on innovative technologies was a very valuable experience. In return, we were able to contribute our expertise as a technology driver in automation with the Intrinsic team.
It was an inspiring experience in which we gained valuable insights and new ideas. A big thank you to everyone involved for the excellent organisation and the opportunity to exchange ideas!
Our project “Digital Ecosystem for AI-based Robotics (RoX)” was officially launched with the first consortium meeting! Around 100 experts and partners from industry and science came together at Dürr company in Bietigheim to lay the foundations for a new era of efficient and scalable robot technologies.
Day 1: Presentation of sub-projects
On the first day, the sub-projects were introduced, covering topics ranging from logistics automation to AI-supported robot commissioning. The diversity demonstrates the broad spectrum and innovative strength of our consortium.
Day 2: Intensive workshops and operational collaboration
The second day was characterised by intense workshops that laid the foundations for future collaboration. These workshops marked the official “starting signal” for the operational work at the RoX project.
In focus: A practical, secure digital data ecosystem
Our goal is to develop a practical and secure digital data ecosystem that strengthens the efficiency and flexibility of robotic processes. With a market that is set to grow significantly in the coming years, RoX brings together expertise in a consortium that sets new standards across company boundaries and drives the transfer of innovative technologies to the industry.
A big thank you to all partners for the successful start and the great cooperation! We look forward to everything to come.
20 September 2024: Kick-off for RoX
A pioneering joint project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). The aim of the project is to build a digital ecosystem that facilitates or even enables the use of innovative AI-based robotic solutions in various practical applications and industries. Especially manufacturing companies as well as the logistics and service sectors will benefit from the results of the project.
The use of AI-based robotic systems offers enormous potential for strengthening industries that rely on the high efficiency and flexibility of robotic systems. In the coming years, the market for robotics will see considerable growth. To fully leverage this potential, the RoX project will raise robotic systems to a new level of performance using advanced robotic components, artificial intelligence (AI) and a digital ecosystem. In this way, innovation cycles are shortened and system integration and commissioning are significantly improved.
No single market player can cover or master the high complexity of AI-based robotic systems alone. This is why a consortium from industry and science is cooperating across company boundaries in RoX. The focus is on practical use cases that address the industry’s current need for action and offer innovative, transferable solutions. The central areas of application include:
- Loading and unloading processes along the entire logistics chain
- Order picking processes in unstructured environments
- Multifunctional and mobile robot systems in production
- AI-based commissioning of robot systems
In these areas, the feasibility and practicability of the developed solutions are demonstrated and evaluated for their potential for continuous further development and scalability.
In order to develop a scalable digital ecosystem for AI-based robotics, RoX focuses on the integration of practice-orientated solutions in development and application environments, the provision of quality-assured software modules and AI models, as well as the design of semantic models and meta-data structures. Data security in the robotics ecosystem and networking with international initiatives are also an integral part of the work.
The sustainable organisational structure ensures that the developed software modules, semantic models and the digital ecosystem will be provided and further developed beyond the end of the project. In this way, RoX will make an important contribution to the future of AI-based robotics and sustainably strengthen the innovative power of the industries involved.
About the RoX project
RoX is a BMWK-funded research project that started in September 2024 and will run for 30 months. A consortium of leading industrial and scientific partners has set itself the goal of developing a digital ecosystem for AI-based robotics with scalable and innovative solutions for implementation in practice.
Consortium members: ABB AG, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, German Aerospace Centre e.V. (DLR), DFKI, Fiege Logistik Stiftung & Co KG, Gluth Systemtechnik GmbH, RIF Institut für Forschung und Transfer e.V., Intrinsic Innovation GmbH, INVITE GmbH, Mercedes-Benz AG, Roboception GmbH, Robomotion GmbH, SCHUNK SE & Co. KG, SOTEC GmbH & Co. KG, T-Systems International GmbH, VDMA Robotics + Automation, Wacker Chemie AG, Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, Yardstick Robotics GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, Dürr Systems AG, Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH, SAFELOG GmbH, Siemens AG
Consortium management: ABB (spokesperson), Siemens, DLR, Fraunhofer IPA
Read the entire press release of 17 Oct here. 2024
