If you’ve spent time in an automotive warehouse, you know that pick-and-place isn’t just about moving objects. It’s about adapting to variation—grabbing components of different shapes, sizes, and weights—and getting them packed accurately and efficiently into kits that feed a fast-moving production line. For now, this is still mostly done by people. Not because automation hasn’t been tried, but because it’s hard to automate well.
That challenge led to the development of I-Genius.
The solution, developed by MYWAI, a leading European provider of Generative, Multimodal, Agentic, and EDGEAI platforms together with the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Genoa and CRF, the FIAT Research Center of Stellantis Group, brings together a fin-ray-inspired gripper (which mimics the dexterity of human fingers) with AI agents that learn directly from operational videos of human workers. Instead of writing code, operators demonstrate the task using short videos or natural speech. The system observes, learns, and replicates the task with robotic precision. This is handled by an AI module called VILMA, a visual imitation learning agent designed to simplify the handover of skills from human to robot.
To ensure consistent performance, a second AI agent, FIONA, monitors the gripper’s condition in real time. Using edge-based computer vision, it detects early signs of wear or anomalies, keeping operations safe and reducing downtime without interrupting the workflow.
Together, these components support a different way of thinking about robotics, not as a replacement for human work, but as an assistant that complements it. The robot takes over repetitive, physically demanding actions; the operator stays in charge, guiding and adapting the system as needed. The interaction is intuitive, requires no coding, and works across multiple languages and cultural contexts.
At its core, I-Genius is about improving working conditions while preserving human expertise. Reducing strain, increasing safety, and enabling greater flexibility for a diverse workforce is central to the system’s design. That’s especially relevant in manufacturing environments where adaptability and ergonomics are becoming key drivers of competitiveness.
As part of the ARISE initiative, the I-Genius team is contributing two core modules, VILMA and FIONA, to the ARISE Skills Catalog. Built on ROS 2, FIWARE, and OPC UA standards, these components are designed for seamless integration into broader industrial systems starting from MYWAI’s Equipment as a Service flagship platform. Their modular design makes them adaptable across robotic platforms and use cases. This contribution strengthens adoption, enables validation in diverse environments, and helps ensure the solution is ready for scale—technically and operationally.
This experiment is not just about proving a concept; it’s about delivering something real, reusable, and valuable to the industry. With growing demand for flexible automation in warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing, I-Genius offers a practical path toward smarter, safer, and more inclusive human-robot collaboration.
Interested in testing the modules or exploring a collaboration?
We’d be glad to connect. https://www.myw.ai/
More info here!