PICKPLACE | Flexible, safe and dependable robotic part handling in industrial environments

Summary
Pick and place are basic operations in most robotic applications, whether in industrial setups (e.g., machine tending,
assembling or bin picking) or in a service robotic domain (e.g., agriculture or at home). In some structured scenarios and
with certain types of parts, picking and placing is a mature process. However, that is not the case when it comes to
manipulating parts with high variability or in less structured environments.
Handling systems are present in any logistics system to interface between the storage and the transportation systems. For
non-structured scenarios, picking, packing and unpacking systems do exist at laboratory level. However, they have not
reached the market yet due to factors like the lack of efficiency, robustness and flexibility of currently available manipulation
and perception technologies.
The market demands systems that allow for a reduction of costs in the supply chain, increasing the competitiveness for
manufacturers and bringing a cost reduction for consumers. Handling systems represent the highest impact in the short-tomidterm
in warehouse-based systems (mainly at order picking and distribution centres) and in intra-logistics operations in
factories and retail.
The technology gap is the lack of flexible solutions that can handle objects of variable size, shape and weight as well as
different surface properties and stiffness.
PICKPLACE proposes combining human and robot capabilities to achieve a safe, flexible, dependable and efficient hybrid
pick-and-package (PAK) solution. It includes dynamic package configuration planning, flexible grasping strategies using an
innovative multifunctional gripper, robust environment perception and mechanisms and strategies for safe human-robot
collaboration.
These scientific and industrial objectives are motivated by the real requirements demanded by the industry, represented in
this proposal by ULMA, System Provider, who will facilitate a realistic and relevant scenario for the validation
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/780488
Start date: 01-01-2018
End date: 30-04-2021
Total budget - Public funding: 3 099 184,68 Euro - 2 700 556,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

Pick and place are basic operations in most robotic applications, whether in industrial setups (e.g., machine tending,
assembling or bin picking) or in a service robotic domain (e.g., agriculture or at home). In some structured scenarios and
with certain types of parts, picking and placing is a mature process. However, that is not the case when it comes to
manipulating parts with high variability or in less structured environments.
Handling systems are present in any logistics system to interface between the storage and the transportation systems. For
non-structured scenarios, picking, packing and unpacking systems do exist at laboratory level. However, they have not
reached the market yet due to factors like the lack of efficiency, robustness and flexibility of currently available manipulation
and perception technologies.
The market demands systems that allow for a reduction of costs in the supply chain, increasing the competitiveness for
manufacturers and bringing a cost reduction for consumers. Handling systems represent the highest impact in the short-tomidterm
in warehouse-based systems (mainly at order picking and distribution centres) and in intra-logistics operations in
factories and retail.
The technology gap is the lack of flexible solutions that can handle objects of variable size, shape and weight as well as
different surface properties and stiffness.
PICKPLACE proposes combining human and robot capabilities to achieve a safe, flexible, dependable and efficient hybrid
pick-and-package (PAK) solution. It includes dynamic package configuration planning, flexible grasping strategies using an
innovative multifunctional gripper, robust environment perception and mechanisms and strategies for safe human-robot
collaboration.
These scientific and industrial objectives are motivated by the real requirements demanded by the industry, represented in
this proposal by ULMA, System Provider, who will facilitate a realistic and relevant scenario for the validation

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

ICT-25-2016-2017

Update Date

26-10-2022
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.2. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP
H2020-EU.2.1. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
H2020-EU.2.1.1. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
H2020-EU.2.1.1.0. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - ICT - Cross-cutting calls
H2020-ICT-2016-1
ICT-25-2016-2017 Advanced robot capabilities research and take-up
H2020-ICT-2017-1
ICT-25-2016-2017 Advanced robot capabilities research and take-up