Europe is expected to be short by tens of millions of workers by 2050, driven by an ageing population and insufficient migration levels. Labour shortages could lead to product unavailability and price inflation, something that was evident from the recent COVID-19 pandemic. E-commerce and logistics have experienced global growth in recent years; however, the industry remains largely under-automated. With the expected global labour shortages, automation will be critical to sustain economic growth.
The ARMANIPULATOR project addresses this challenge by aiming to develop intelligent robotic manipulation systems for complex non-prehensile manipulation tasks to compensate for future labour shortages. The project will investigate semi-autonomous, human-guided, robotic manipulation solutions for warehouse automation, and develop novel augmented-reality interfaces for effective human-robot interaction.
The proposed solution will accelerate the early deployment of robots in warehouses, contributing to the EU’s strategic plan to tackle key global challenges, enhance its competitiveness, and strengthen its economic resilience.
Funding: Co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Republic of Cyprus—Project Granted through the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF)