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Innovation award finalists presented their ideas at Hannover Messe .
MAY 2024
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Innovative ideas from young research teams , an AI ( artificial intelligence ) showcase for simpler robot programming and the “ Follow the Twin ” challenge from the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance were highlighted by automation specialist , KUKA , at Hannover Messe in Germany this April .
“ For us , this year ’ s Hannover Messe was all about innovation as well as clever , young research talents ,” said Wilfried Eberhardt , Chief Marketing Officer , KUKA .
The KUKA Innovation Award encompassed skilled trades and SMEs . The teams developed creative robotics solutions for bakeries , bending processes or clothing companies . At Hanover , they presented their innovations to an international audience on around 200 square metres in Hall 5 , stand D12 , from 22-26 April 2024 . The winner of the € 20,000 Innovation Award was chosen by the jury on the KUKA trade fair stand . On the Microsoft stand , KUKA demonstrated how AI could simplify programming in the future . Its aim is to make it as easy as possible for its customers to access automation . A team from the Augsburgbased technology company is working on how AI can support the creation of programming code . Microsoft Copilot chatbox is used for this purpose .
“ In the long term , AI is intended to supplement the classic input that is currently
KUKA ’ s LBR iisy cobot .
made via the KUKA smartPAD . It would then be possible for end users to give so-called prompts i . e . text input or voice instructions , directly to the AI . The AI then creates the code to program the robot for the respective task ,” KUKA told ISMR .
As a founding member of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance ( OI4 ), KUKA also took part in the “ Follow the Twin ” challenge , with its digital subsidiary Device Insight , and was represented at the OI4 trade fair booth . The OI4 Alliance demonstrated to visitors that the introduction and handling of digital twins is less complex than some industrial companies assume .
The “ Follow the Twin ” competition led visitors across the trade fair to the stands of Alliance members . On the stands , QR codes marked the digital twin of the devices and exhibits on display . n
www . kuka . com
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