Martinš Sarkans

Customization requirements in modern manufacturing demand a closer collaboration between operators and automated technologies, leading to a novel Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) and interaction (HRI) paradigm aimed at augmenting human capabilities in the workplace. Digital Twin (DT) and Immersive technologies (XR) support the inclusion of the human operator in simulation-based interfaces intended for safe, efficient, multimodal, and adaptive HRI. The design and implementation of these interfaces are not yet adequately addressed. This project aims to define what is the current approach to the requirement definition for DT and XR by analyzing the potentials and challenges of the adoption of DT interfaces and other types of input methods in the HRC context, their allocation in the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and the state of current experimental research in this field as bringing the human back to the loop bring us the Industry 5.0 concept within industrial and healthcare domains

Smart Industry Centre (SmartIC) was created at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and Estonian University of Life Sciences (Institute of Technology) in 2017 to improve collaboration in research and development and use of distributed infrastructure in the field of Industry 4.0 - robotics, mechatronics, additive manufacturing, product quality control and related fields of IT (especially artificial intelligence). In 2018, Institute of Technology of University of Tartu joined in collaboration (mainly in the field of robotics). In 2017-2020 several new labs were opened (FMS and Robotics Lab, Industrial Virtual and Augmented Reality Lab, Additive Manufacturing Lab/ ProtoLab, Computer Tomography Lab for quality control, etc). Several new ERF and H2020 funded projects were initiated and launched in 2017-2020.

DIH-World aims to accelerate the uptake of advanced digital technologies by European manufacturing SMEs in all sectors and support them in building sustainable competitve advantages and reaching global markets strengthening the capacities of regional DIHs, particularly in underepresented regions across Europe. As intermediaries of successful local SME digital transformation, DIH World, aims at providing DIHs, acces to harmonised tools, well proven technologies, effective methodologies, sound knwoledge, smart investment sources, rich training assets and overall a vibrant innovation environment. The final aim is to accelerate the matureness of DIHs and the development of their collaboration capabilities, and avoid a DIH divide due to lack of access to technologies, skills, networks, investment and infrastructures with special enfasis in underrepresented regions; so they can capitalise and leverage on the European DIHs Networks their resources and facilities for the benefit of their local SMEs. This will be achieved thanks to the: DIH-World platform, that will provide a full coverage of the services needed by the DIHs and the SMEs willing to identify the right DIH for them, the DIH-Academy that will provide the tools to train DIHs and bring them to the next level, Open calls for experiments, that will provide sufficient technological support to SMEs and midcaps. As well as with a broad geographical coverage, with more than 26 countries to be covered in Europe including specific activities to involve regional and national actors in the DIH network.