Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Switzerland is already known as the Silicon Valley of Robotics. Now, the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) in Zurich, the European headquarters of the US research organization of the same name, will soon open a state-of-the-art laboratory to test robotic systems in realistic environments.
Key global role
The institute, which began operations in Switzerland at the beginning of 2024 under the leadership of Professor Marco Hutter, is expanding and playing a key global role in the advancement of robotics.Around 25 specialists currently work at the RAI, with backgrounds in computer science, machine learning, robotics, electrical and mechanical engineering.
The RAI will open the new laboratory in the summer. It marks a significant milestone in the development of mobile, autonomous machines for use in diverse urban and natural environments. “The biggest challenge is not just to build robots that move, but robots that understand their environment and can react to it,” explains robotics pioneer Marc Raibert, Executive Director of the RAI Institute based in Cambridge and co-founder of Boston Dynamics, currently controlled by Hyundai Motor with Softbank Group holding a stake.
Hutter, director of the Robotics Systems Lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and serial entrepreneur, emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary research for the future of robotics: “To achieve real progress, we need to develop and test hardware and software together. Theclose integration of mechanics and artificial intelligence is crucial.” New systems, such as a self-propelled bicycle and a gymnastic humanoid robot, utilize reinforcement learning, which provides them with entirely new possibilities.
Robotics hotspot
It is no coincidence that the RAI has settled in Zurich, of all places. Switzerland is home to many robotics companies, and the Greater Zurich Area contributes significantly to the leading position of the country in this field: its universities and technology companies rank among the world’s leaders in autonomous and intelligent systems, computer vision, sensor technology, and artificial intelligence.
“The density of excellent research institutions and innovative companies makes Greater Zurich the perfect location for the future of robotics,” says Hutter. “Switzerland has always been a leader in mechanical engineering and automation, and robotics is nothing other than a continuation along the journey to autonomation.”
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich is recognized as one of the world’s leading universities for robotics, and numerous start-ups with ground-breaking innovations have emerged from its environment. For example, Anybotics, Verity, and Rivr caused headlines with their autonomous robotic systems. The renowned Swiss university established the RobotX Center in 2019 to position Switzerland and itself at the forefront of robotics research institutions worldwide. It organizes hands-on robot classes, annual summer schools and symposia, and joint research programs with industry.
Text: SCCIJ based on material of Greater Zurich Area
