Robotics and AI at the Hallstadt roundtable

On October 8, 2026, the Cleantech Cluster organized its first AI and Robotics Roundtable at the Cleantech Innovation Park in Hallstadt. Participants from industry and academia discussed practical applications of AI and robotics. Prof. Dr. Markus Rickert from the Multimodal Intelligent Interaction group at the University of Bamberg gave a talk titled "Robotics and AI: Current Developments and Applications". 

Using examples from manufacturing and the skilled trades, Prof. Rickert explained how the effort required to deploy robots can vary, particularly when switching between orders in small-batch production. He discussed how product and process knowledge can be integrated into robotic systems. The talk also put recent developments in learning-based AI systems and humanoid robots into context. 

Other presentations provided practical examples from different application areas. In the discussions and workshops that followed, participants considered use cases and challenges from their own companies, along with opportunities for collaboration. 

Before the roundtable, the Cleantech Cluster and the economic development offices of the city and district of Bamberg had visited the Multimodal Intelligent Interaction group. The meeting focused on robotics and physical AI. Through a joint initiative, they aim to identify the needs of local businesses, gather ideas, and connect businesses with experts and research institutions for joint projects. 

Cleantech Cluster report on the AI and Robotics Roundtable

Cleantech Cluster post about the visit to the group