Agenda
Keynotes and Panel Discussions
- 08:15 - 09:00
- Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne AG
Welcome Coffee and Check-in
Start the day with a networking coffee and check-in.
- 09:00 - 09:15
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
Speakers
Dr.-Ing. Dominic Gorecky
Head of Swiss Smart Factory and President of Swiss Cobotics Competence Center
Dr. Hakan Girgin
Innovation Manager at Swiss Cobotics Competence Center
Introduction and Opening Remarks
Welcome address and overview of the forum’s objectives.
- 09:15 - 09:45
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Keynote #Industry
Speakers
David Reger
CEO, Neura Robotics
Cognitive Robots – Humanity’s Trump Card
Could AI become the first true competitor to the human brain and its creativity? Will AI one day tell us what to do with our human bodies? To ensure a future where AI serves humanity, Neura Robotics is developing cognitive robots that enable AI to act physically and perform tasks autonomously.
The key to this future lies in equipping robots with cognitive abilities—allowing them to reliably recognize and protect humans, act independently, anticipate based on what they learn, and continuously improve from every experience, making them even more helpful next time.
The robots of the future will need more than just perception and advanced, genuine artificial intelligence. They require a full spectrum of cognitive capabilities and, most importantly, outstanding hardware – a body that can move within environments designed for humans. This ensures that AI does not become a deity dictating from the metaverse but remains a true support system when we need help in the real world.
- 09:45 - 10:30
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Panel Discussion
Moderator
Katrin Yuan
CEO, Swiss Future Institute
Participants
David Reger
CEO Neura Robotics
Prof. Dr. Emre Ugur
Associate Professor at Bogazici University
Zakia Zeroual
Board Member at Swiss Engineering, AI and robotics specialist
Humanoids on the Horizon: Bridging Technology and Industry
Explore the latest innovations in humanoid robotics and their real-world applications. This session will address important issues, such as:
• What is the current state of humanoid robotics technology and its capabilities?
• What are the biggest technical challenges currently facing humanoid robotics?
• What technological advancements (e.g. AI, sensor technology) are crucial for the widespread adoption of humanoid robots in industries?
• Which industries are most likely to benefit from humanoid robotics in the near future?
• What (technological) barriers currently prevent the integration of humanoid robotics into various industries?
- 10:30 - 11:00
- Foyer
Coffee Break
- 11:00 - 11:30
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Keynote #Academia
Speakers
Prof. Dr. Johan Stahre
Full Professor, Chair of Production Systems, Head of Division, Chalmers University of Technology (tbc)
TBA
- 11:30 - 12:15
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Panel Discussion
Moderator
TBA
Participants
Prof. Dr. David Romero
Full Professor, Tecnológico de Monterrey University
Michael Mesfin
CEO and Founder, Mesfin&Co
Xavier Comtesse
Innovation Strategist, Futurist, and Thought Leader *Digital Transformation*
The Humanoid Revolution: Are We Ready Yet?
This panel will explore the readiness of humanoid robots for integration into the workforce. Key topics will include:
• What are socio-economic impacts of humanoid robots in the workplace?
• What are the necessary ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks needed for widespread adoption?
• What role will humanoid robots play in addressing labor shortages and aging populations?
• How should humanoid robots be designed and integrated to collaborate well with human workers?
• What (socio-technological) barriers currently prevent the integration of humanoid robotics into various industries?
- 12:15 - 13:00
- Foyer
Name
Designation
Name
Designation
Lunch Break and Exhibition Visit
- 13:00 - 14:30
- Auditorium
Moderator
Dr.-Ing. Dominic Gorecky
Head of Swiss Smart Factory and President of Swiss Cobotics Competence Center
Participants
Prof. Dr. Sarah Rochat
Professor, Berner Fachhochschule BFH
Chaoyi Li
Head of Globalization, Booster Robotics
Kawada Robotics
TBA
DeepRobotics
TBA
Zakia Zeroual
Board Member at Swiss Engineering, AI and robotics specialist
David Weder
CEO, Swiss Cobotics Competence Center S3C
Fraunhofer IPA
TBA
Xavier Comtesse
Innovation Strategist, Futurist, and Thought Leader *Digital Transformation*
Pitching Session with Insights from Industrial and Academic Leaders
Join us for an engaging pitching session featuring up to twenty presentations, each lasting 10 minutes, from leading figures in both industry and academia. This session will provide a unique opportunity to gain insights into the latest innovations, research breakthroughs, practical applications and critical reflections in the field of humanoid robotics.
- Humanoid Robots: Futuristic Fantasy or Functional Reality?
- Building an Ecosystem for Developers of Embodied AI based on Humanoid Robots
- Humanoids for Humanity: Investing in Machines to Uplift Society
- Swiss Cobotics Competence Center – Shaping the Future of Manufacturing: From Cobotics to Humanoid Robotics in Industry
- AI & Gravity : the Real World is Ready for AI
- add more…
- 14:30 – 15:00
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Keynote #Academia
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Auke J. Ijspeert
Professor at EPFL, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Bio-inspired control of humanoid and animal-like robots
Using legged and humanoid robots to study and emulate animal agility. The ability to efficiently move and act in complex environments is a fundamental property both for animals and for robots, and the problem of locomotion and movement control is an area in which neuroscience, biomechanics, and robotics can fruitfully interact. In this talk, I will present how robots and deep reinforcement learning can be used to investigate, and hopefully replicate, how animals (including humans) learn and control locomotion.
- 15:00 - 15:30
- Foyer
Coffee Break
- 15:30 - 16:10
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Panel Discussion
Moderator
Dr. Milan Kumar
CIO, ZF Commercial Vehicles (CVS), TEDx Speaker, Global CIO & CDO Awards Winner, CIO Series Author, Forbes Tech Council
Participants
Lukas M. Ziegler
Robotics & Al Advocate with Global Influence
Prof. Dr. Auke J. Ijspeert
Professor at EPFL, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Humanoid robotics: Hype or Real ROI?
This panel will critically examine whether investments in humanoid robotics are aiming at tangible returns or just chasing a futuristic vision. Key questions to be addressed include:
- Are humanoid robots effectively addressing the most pressing problems in various industries?
- How do we balance the excitement around humanoid robotics with realistic expectations?
- Are the first investments in humanoid robots delivering measurable returns on investment (ROI)?
- What are the primary barriers to achieving significant ROI from humanoid robotics?
- How can humanoid robots be made more accessible and affordable for small and medium-sized enterprises?
- 16:10 - 16:30
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
Speakers
Prof. Dr. David Romero
Full Professor, Tecnológico de Monterrey University
Dr. Dominic Gorecky
Head of Swiss Smart Factory and President of Swiss Cobotics Competence Center
Closing Remarks
Recap of the day’s discussions and a preview of the next day’s workshops.
- 16:30 - 17:15
- Swiss Smart Factory (SSF) and Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C)
Live Demonstrations and Networking
Showcasing cutting-edge robotic technologies and their applications.
- From 17:15
- Foyer & Swiss Smart Factory Hall
Evening Reception
Join us for a delightful dinner reception, offering a perfect opportunity for informal networking over drinks and a meal.
Cluster Workshops
Workshop Participants will get issued a Certificate
- 09:00 - 09:30
- Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne AG
Welcome Coffee and Check-in
Start the day with a networking coffee and check-in.
- 09:30 - 10:00
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
Speakers
Dr. Anca-Georgiana Rusu
Executive Director, Swiss Robotics Association (SRA)
Dr. Sylvain Calinon
Senior Researcher at Idiap Research Institute
Introduction
Introduction to the day’s focus areas: challenges in programming and data management.
- 10:00 – 11:00
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Panel Discussion
Moderator
Dr. Hakan Girgin
Innovation Manager at Swiss Cobotics Competence Center
Participants
Dr. Sylvain Calinon
Senior Researcher at Idiap Research Institute
Prof. Dr. Emre Ugur
Associate Professor at Bogazici University
Kartik Sachdev
Solutions Architect – Robotics & AI at NVIDIA
Humanoids and Logistics
Delve into the pivotal role of humanoid robots in revolutionizing logistics. This panel will examine the technical hurdles of programming humanoids for dynamic environments, optimizing data flow for real-time decision-making, and ensuring adaptability in ever-changing supply chains. Gain insights into how these challenges are being addressed to unlock the full potential of humanoids in the logistics sector.
- 11:00 - 11:30
- Foyer
Coffee Break
- 11:30 - 12:30
- Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C)
- #Workshop
Instructor
Dr. Sylvain Calinon
Senior Researcher at Idiap Research Institute
Programming Humanoid Robots - Hands-On Session
This session aims to provide an overview of the most important math principles needed to start programming humanoid robots. We will see how humanoids can be used to reach and grasp objects, how they can maintain balance, how they can react to external perturbations, etc. The session will take the form of an interactive live coding presentation, with a tutorial designed using Robotics Codes from Scratch (https://rcfs.ch/). The participants can follow the explanations and interactive exercises during the presentation, but they can also run and replicate the demonstrated codes from a web browser (for this option, the participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops).
- 12:30 - 13:30
- Foyer
Lunch Break
- 13:30 - 14:30
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
- #Panel Discussion
Moderator
Dr. Hakan Girgin
Innovation Manager at Swiss Cobotics Competence Center
Participants
TBA
Humanoids in day-to-day life
Humanoids are becoming integral to daily living, offering support in areas like caregiving, education, and home management. This discussion will focus on the practical and societal aspects of integrating humanoids into our routines, emphasizing user-friendly design, trust-building, and creating meaningful human-robot interactions. Join us to explore how humanoids are redefining the way we live and connect.
- 14:30 - 15:00
- Foyer
Coffee Break
- 15:00 - 16:30
- Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C)
- #Workshop
Instructor
Kartik Sachdev
Solutions Architect – Robotics & AI at NVIDIA
NVIDIA Isaac Lab: Introduction & Hands-on Session
In this workshop, developers and decision makers will discover the power of Isaac Lab, NVIDIA’s next-generation robotics learning framework. We will introduce the overall Isaac Lab stack and delve into key highlights, including accurate physics simulation, tiled rendering, and reinforcement learning.
Through examples of real-world use cases and a hands-on demo, attendees will experience firsthand the flexibility and versatility of Isaac Lab, featuring a diverse range of environments, robot types, assets, and sensors. Join us to unlock the full potential of robotics development and take the first step towards creating intelligent, autonomous robots that can learn and adapt in complex and dynamic environments. The participants can follow along with the presenter or bring their own laptop with Isaac Sim and Isaac Lab installed.
- 16:30 - 16:45
- Swiss Smart Factory Hall
Speakers
David Weder
CEO of Swiss Cobotics Competence Center
Closing Remarks
Recap of the day’s discussions.
- 16:45 – 17:30
- Swiss Smart Factory (SSF) and Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C)
Networking and Farewell Reception
A closing session for participants to network, exchange ideas, and discuss potential collaborations, accompanied by refreshments.