With “Automatica Sprint”, the leading international exhibition for automated smart production adds another offer to its portfolio. It provides the robotics and automation industry with a digital industry forum for exchange, knowledge, and business from June 22 to 24, 2021. “Munich_i” — the newly created platform for robotics and artificial intelligence—is a part of this format.

The new trade fair format “Automatica Sprint” will start in a week. Attendees can expect an extensive range of innovations as well as numerous presentations and panel discussions on challenges in the field of robotics and automation. Anja Schneider, “Automatica” Exhibition Director, is optimistic about the upcoming premiere: “The industry craves exchange. And we offer a digital stage for this purpose at automatica sprint. We are looking forward to the online event and to breaking new ground together with our exhibitors—we greatly value the trust they have placed in us.”

The digital format focuses on the solutions and products offered by the approximately 80 exhibitors. International industry representatives include ABB, Basler, Bosch Rexroth, Epson, Fanuc, Festo, Hahn Automation, IDS, Kuka, Manz, MVTec, Schaeffler, Schunk, Siemens, Stäubli as well as teamtechnik, Universal and Yaskawa. In the individual companies’ brand rooms, participants will have the opportunity to obtain detailed information and to directly get in touch with the exhibitors through various channels.

In addition to the companies’ brand rooms, “Automatica Sprint” offers a versatile supporting program covering developments and trends in the automation industry. The company sessions offer insights into new developments and innovations from the industry’s key players. These sessions range from technical presentations to live product presentations and panel discussions on topics such as cobots, smart manufacturing, connectivity, energy efficiency and artificial intelligence. In addition, there will be daily round table discussions with industry experts on topics such as G5, robotics in SMEs, and machine vision.

The English-language panel discussion “Applying AI—How to create responsible technological innovations that promote wellbeing” addresses the use of technological innovations such as AI, which give rise to a number of ethical, social, political, and legal challenges. In addition to Minister of State Bernd Sibler, representatives from BMW, Deutsches Museum, IBM, and Technical University of Munich (TUM) will discuss issues associated with this topic. The discussion will be hosted by Prof. Alena Buyx, Director of the Institute for the History and Ethics of Medicine and Director of “Munich_i”.

A special highlight of the supporting program: the virtual demonstrator for OPC UA technology. This is a digital likeness of an assembly machine into which trade fair visitors can virtually immerse themselves. Processes not visible in the physical machine, such as communication between its individual components, thus become comprehensible and illustrate the concept of a “digital twin”.

With “Munich_i”, “Automatica Sprint” offers another highlight to participants. The newly created robotics and artificial intelligence event consists of four elements: In addition to the “high-tech summit” and “AI.Society”, the “Robothon” and the “Munich_i robot driver’s license” are also part of the program.

The virtual “high-tech” summit on June 22 will focus on the interaction of human and artificial intelligence in the areas of work, health, and mobility. The summit will be opened by Bavarian Minister President Dr. Markus Söder, patron of “Munich_i”. Start-up companies and chairs of the Technical University of Munich will present artificial intelligence applications that have already found their way into everyday life on all three days of the event as part of the digital AI.Society exhibition. The “Robothon” developer competition is looking for the creative minds of tomorrow. An independent panel of judges will award the winner of the challenge on June 22. The “Munich_i robot driver’s license” combines theory and practice. In online workshops aimed at interested children, teenagers and adults, concrete application examples will let participants experience how robotics can make our lives easier in the future.

Participation in “Munich_i” is included in the ticket for visitors to the “Automatica Sprint” digital platform. The event will be held in English. Further information on “Munich_i” with more details on the four elements as well as an overview of the program and speakers at the high-tech summit is available online.