NOE FTI-22-I-004 Infrastructure for Testing AI-driven robot systems in complex environments

This project will test and evaluate novel scenarios and work on how to incorporate “common sense” into the latest cutting-edge robotic technologies. The approach being pursued is “human-in-the-loop”, which combines the advantages of the intelligence of human experts with the benefits of AI. Specifically, this project tests and evaluates application scenarios for robots in Forest Engineering and creates new application scenarios. The novelty of this approach allows us to explore the basics in terms of requirements, challenges and future possibilities in dealing with such systems, paving the way for progress in the international research community. At the heart of this is our Robot Test Park Tulln – right next to the new House of Digitalisation in Tulln – the new center of digital transformation in Lower Austria. The research methodology follows a 3G pioneering research approach with agile, human-centred design: Generation 1 testing of existing technology, Generation 2 adaptation of existing technology with cost-effective means, Generation 3 advanced adaptation that goes beyond the state of the art and is carried out together with our partners the intelligent Robotics Institute at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada and the Cognitive Robotics Lab, School of Computer Science, University of Manchester, UK – world-leading robotics institutes