Our Expression of Interest is officially open!

Be one step ahead of your competitors in getting funding!

The ARISE consortium is pleased to announce the Expression of Interest – the initial phase of our 1st project’s Open Call, set to launch in autumn 2024! This opportunity will provide up to EUR 200,000 to consortia developing HRI-enabled solutions for industrial robotics automation projects.

Why Apply for the Expression of Interest?

  1. Industry Validation: Applying for the Expression of Interest validates your role in the open call application as an End-user.
  2. Consortium Formation: This validation is crucial for forming successful consortia during the 1st ARISE Open Call – as the list of validated participants will be published for applicants, your chance to be chosen for the consortium is much higher.

 

Don’t miss this opportunity to validate your role and increase your chances of forming a thriving consortium. Apply now to stay ahead of the competition and secure your place in the future of industrial automation.

Check out the our first info webinar on the expression of interest:

Validate your organisation!

Apply now

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ARISE and FIWARE in the ADRA Book: Building Open Digital Infrastructures for Robotics

The recently published open-access book “Artificial Intelligence, Data and Robotics: Foundations, Transformations and Future Directions” provides a comprehensive overview of the technologies and initiatives shaping Europe’s digital future.

Published within the framework of the AI, Data and Robotics Association (ADRA), the book reflects the collective work of the European AI-Data-Robotics ecosystem, bringing together researchers, innovation projects, and industry stakeholders working to accelerate the development and deployment of these technologies across Europe.

Among the initiatives featured in the book is ARISE, together with its sister projects FORTIS and JARVIS, which are highlighted in the chapter “Advancing Industrial Collaboration: The Next Generation of Human-Robot Interaction.”

The book reflects the broader strategic vision behind the European AI, Data and Robotics Partnership, which aims to strengthen Europe’s leadership in these technologies while ensuring that innovation remains human-centric, trustworthy and aligned with European values.

Artificial intelligence, robotics and data technologies are increasingly converging to create new possibilities across sectors such as manufacturing, mobility, environmental monitoring and healthcare. This convergence is explored in the chapter “Data, AI, Robotics: Transformative Power in Industry 5.0” where the authors (among them partners in the ARISE project Polimi, Engineering and Cartif) explain how Industry 5.0 builds on the foundations of Industry 4.0 by integrating human-centric, resilient and sustainable manufacturing practices. This chapter reviews a series of European initiatives and industrial pilot cases demonstrating how AI, robotics and data technologies can support circular manufacturing processes, data sharing across value chains and new decision-support capabilities through technologies such as digital twins and real-time industrial data infrastructures.

However, unlocking the full potential of these technologies requires more than individual innovations. It requires digital infrastructures that allow heterogeneous systems to interoperate and share data seamlessly.

This is where open digital infrastructures become essential. Across the European ecosystem, researchers and innovators are increasingly focusing on building interoperable platforms and architectures that allow AI systems, robotics technologies and data infrastructures to work together across domains.

ARISE: contributing to the next generation of human-robot collaboration

In our chapter, we explore (together with our sister projects JARVIS and FORTIS) the evolution of human-robot interaction (HRI) and the technological foundations required to support collaborative robotics in industrial environments.

In particular, we present the ARISE framework, designed to accelerate the deployment of collaborative robotics systems that integrate human expertise with advanced automation technologies. Through experimentation in Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs) and collaboration with SMEs, ARISE aims to bridge the gap between research and real industrial deployment.

Our work focuses on enabling more intuitive interaction between humans and robots, safer collaboration in industrial settings, scalable robotics deployments, and the integration of artificial intelligence into industrial decision-making processes.

FIWARE and ROS2: an open middleware for industrial robotics

A key innovation highlighted in the book is the architectural approach used in ARISE.

The project integrates FIWARE technologies with ROS2 robotics frameworks, creating an open middleware that enables interoperability between robotic systems, industrial applications and AI services.

This architecture allows data to flow seamlessly between robots, digital platforms and industrial systems, enabling:

  • real-time monitoring of robotic operations

  • integration of AI-based services

  • coordination between robots and industrial systems

  • scalable deployment of robotics applications.

By combining ROS2 robotics capabilities with FIWARE context-management technologies, ARISE demonstrates how open-source platforms can create a flexible and interoperable digital infrastructure for robotics.

This interoperability layer is essential for enabling complex industrial environments where robots, machines, sensors and digital platforms must work together.

Interoperable data infrastructures for AI and robotics

The role of FIWARE technologies is not limited to robotics architectures.

In another chapter of the book, dedicated to the CyclOps project, “CyclOps: Leveraging Semantic Technologies for AI and Data Life Cycle Management and Governance”, FIWARE technologies appear again through the use of NGSI-LD context brokers, which support interoperable data exchange and semantic data management across distributed environments.

FIWARE-based interoperability approaches are also referenced in discussions around emerging data ecosystems, such as in the chapter “Toward the Irish Mobility Data Space: Challenges, Opportunities, and Requirements”, which explores the technological foundations needed to enable cross-domain mobility data spaces.

Context brokers such as Orion-LD, Stellio and Scorpio, available within the FIWARE ecosystem, enable the storage, retrieval and sharing of contextual information across domains such as smart cities, Industry 4.0 and IoT applications.

These technologies illustrate how standardized data infrastructures can support the integration of AI and robotics systems within broader digital ecosystems.

Toward open digital infrastructures for robotics

Taken together, the projects and technologies presented in the book highlight an important transformation in the way Europe approaches technological innovation.

Rather than focusing solely on isolated technological components, the European AI-Data-Robotics ecosystem is increasingly building open digital infrastructures that allow different technologies to work together across sectors and domains.

Within this vision:

  • ARISE contributes to the development of human-centric robotics systems

  • FIWARE provides the interoperable data infrastructure that connects digital services, AI applications and industrial systems

This combination of open platforms, interoperable data architectures and collaborative robotics represents a key step toward the realization of Industry 5.0.

The inclusion of ARISE in this ADRA publication highlights the project’s contribution to Europe’s rapidly evolving AI, Data and Robotics ecosystem. By combining open-source technologies, interoperable architectures and human-centric design, ARISE demonstrates how collaborative robotics can be deployed in ways that enhance human capabilities while supporting industrial innovation. At the same time, the broader presence of FIWARE technologies across different chapters of the book reflects the growing importance of open standards and interoperable data infrastructures as foundations for the next generation of digital systems.

Together, initiatives such as ARISE and FIWARE are helping to build the open digital infrastructures that will support Europe’s future in AI, data and robotics.

VITAWELD: Vision, Intelligence and Human-Robot Teaming for the Future of Welding

VITAWELD tackles one of the most persistent challenges in industrial manufacturing: welding large metal components without compromising quality, efficiency, or accessibility. Traditional processes struggle with heat-induced distortions, late detection of defects, and manual parameter adjustments that slow production and introduce variability. Programming industrial robots for such tasks requires advanced technical expertise, creating a barrier for companies with limited resources.

The solution brings a fundamentally different approach to welding automation

VITAWELD blends advanced computer vision, AI, and natural user interfaces to keep the operator in control while enhancing their capabilities. The system enables robot programming through natural language and real-time visualization in augmented reality, making adjustments intuitive and immediate. AI-powered vision algorithms detect potential defects as they happen, while automated parameter optimization ensures repeatability and minimizes waste. Built on a modular ROS 2 and FIWARE architecture, the platform can adapt to different industrial contexts and scale with changing needs.

Within the ARISE project, VITAWELD exemplifies how collaborative robotics can democratize access to advanced automation. FIWARE integration ensures interoperability and supports a standards-based approach, making the solution replicable across industries. Most importantly, it reflects a vision where technology empowers rather than replaces, aligning closely with the principles of Industry 5.0.

The impact is measurable

Early projections indicate a reduction of more than 50% in robot programming time, over 30% improvement in first-time-right weld quality, and the ability to train new operators in less than two days. Energy consumption could be reduced by 15%, with significant savings in material waste. These advances not only improve productivity but also make welding safer and less physically demanding, encouraging greater diversity in the workforce.

Market potential is equally strong

The global industrial human-robot interaction market is expected to reach $8.6 billion by 2025, with the large-component welding segment valued at $1.2 billion. By focusing on amplifying human capabilities rather than replacing them, VITAWELD differentiates itself from conventional automation. Its modular design and human-centered philosophy allow rapid adaptation to other processes such as TIG, MIG, and additive manufacturing, delivering a return on investment in just 18 to 24 months.

Inclusivity is embedded in the design

Interfaces are multilingual and configurable, with universal iconography and color-blind-friendly visualizations. Ergonomic considerations accommodate operators of different heights, handedness, and working styles. The system can adapt to local cultural norms in units of measurement, alerts, and training materials, ensuring usability across global manufacturing environments.

VITAWELD represents more than a technical solution—it redefines the relationship between people and machines in industrial welding. By combining precision, adaptability, and inclusivity, it sets a new standard for human-robot teaming, one where innovation strengthens human expertise, fosters sustainable manufacturing, and builds a safer, more productive future.

Rovimática S.L.
IDONIAL Centro Tecnológico
ARISE – VITAWELD

Crafting the Future: How SUNRISE Agent AI is Reimagining Human-Robot Collaboration in Manufacturing

The Operator’s New Co-Pilot: A Partnership with Robots

In the world of manufacturing, technology is often seen as a replacement for human labor. But at Plastifer, a leader in cosmetics and health products, we’re helping to redefine this relationship with SUNRISE (Smart Unified Network for Cosmetic), our innovative experiment under the ARISE project. SUNRISE is not about replacing workers; it’s about empowering them. By integrating AI-driven robotics with intuitive gesture and voice controls, we are creating a new type of human-robot collaboration that boosts efficiency, enhances safety, and elevates the role of the operator.

Beyond the Assembly Line: Tackling Customization at Scale

Plastifer faces a unique challenge in custom manufacturing. With a vast catalog of over 3,000 sink designs and 500 ventilator models, the production process is complex and demanding. Manual machine reprogramming and quality checks for each unique product are time-consuming and error-prone, limiting scalability and hindering efficiency. Operators spend hours on complex configurations, which can lead to inconsistent quality and a lack of automation. SUNRISE directly addresses these pain points by streamlining operations and freeing workers from these repetitive tasks.

From Isolation to Collaboration: Peer-to-Peer Production Intelligence

One of SUNRISE’s Agent most powerful features is its ability to connect workstations into a true collaborative network. Through a patent-pending peer-to-peer (P2P) communication layer, different stations—such as the quality control bench and the pick-and-place cell—can exchange information in real time without relying solely on central servers. This means that if the quality station detects a defect, it can instantly alert the pick-and-place robot to adjust handling, prevent errors, and ensure that only compliant parts move forward. The result is a living, adaptive production environment where every station “talks” to the others, creating a seamless flow of data and actions that further enhances efficiency, reduces waste, and builds resilience into the manufacturing process.

Edge Intelligence with Privacy at the Core

SUNRISE Agent also pioneers the use of distributed Large Language Models (LLMs) running directly on edge devices within the factory. This architecture allows the system to leverage historical production data to generate new product configurations—such as entirely new sink designs—without ever transferring sensitive information outside the premises. By keeping AI processing local, SUNRISE ensures full compliance with GDPR, protects proprietary manufacturing know-how, and minimizes cybersecurity risks. This privacy-by-design approach means manufacturers can benefit from generative AI innovation while retaining complete control over their data, enabling creativity and customization at scale without compromising confidentiality.

Intuitive Innovation: Gesture and Voice Control in Action

At the heart of SUNRISE is an AI-powered robotics solution that puts the operator in control using the most natural interface of all: human interaction. The system leverages the Tactigon SOUL suite, which enables operators to use natural voice and gesture commands to interact with robots. For example, an operator can simply use a voice command to recall a specific custom sink model from a pre-populated database. The system’s AI then adapts the robot’s behavior based on historical data, dynamically reprogramming machines to match the new product specifications. This seamless interaction, which requires no coding skills, allows operators to quickly switch tasks, ensuring a more fluid and efficient workflow.

The Digital Backbone: FIWARE, ROS 2, and the ARISE Community

SUNRISE productionis built on a robust, open-source technological foundation that ensures scalability and interoperability. The solution integrates IoT sensors for real-time quality monitoring. FIWARE’s Orion-LD and NGSI-LD standards manage these live data streams, providing operators with real-time dashboards and alerts for things like potential defects. This allows for proactive adjustments and a 30% reduction in errors. The entire system is built on ROS 2, with key modules contributed as open-source implementations to the ARISE Catalog. These reusable components, including an HRI module for gesture/voice control, an IoT and FIWARE module, and an adaptive AI module, ensure that the technology can be adapted for use in other industries like food, beverage, and electronics.

The ROI of Empathy: Business Impact and Sustainability

The human-centric design of SUNRISE translates directly into tangible business benefits. By automating repetitive and physically demanding tasks, the project is projected to boost operator job satisfaction by 20-25% and reduce production errors by 30%. This focus on worker well-being leads to a significant increase in production efficiency of 15-20%. By reducing downtime and material waste, SUNRISE Agent also aligns with EU Green Deal goals, fostering sustainable manufacturing. This innovative approach, which targets a serviceable market of €17.6M within the growing collaborative robot sector, proves that a more empathetic and inclusive workplace is also a more profitable one.

Next Industries S.r.L
PLASTIFER SRL.
ARISE – SUNRISE

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