Baden-Württemberg is Funding Robotics Innovation with Around 1 Million Euros from EU Funds
FZI Research Center for Information Technology and Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart Receive Funding for “Robot Simulacrum”
Research Focus: Robotics
On July 22, Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut presented a symbolic check for approximately one million euros to the FZI Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe and the Hochschule der Medien (HdM) in Stuttgart for the “Roboter-Simulacrum” project. The funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the “Strategic Technologies for Europe” (STEP). The goal of the project is to provide companies with an easy-to-use tool that allows them to realistically test and evaluate the use of robotics in their own production and operational processes. In this way, the project makes an important contribution to the implementation of the Baden-Württemberg High-Tech Agenda.
“The ‘Robot Simulacrum’ project is an important step on our path toward strengthening European technological sovereignty: By combining robotics, digital twins, and gaming technologies, an innovative tool is being developed that is intended to enable a wide range of companies to integrate robotic solutions into their own processes. I am convinced that the ‘Roboter-Simulacrum’ will make a significant contribution to Baden-Württemberg’s regional innovation and value creation capacity and will thus also support the goals of the High-Tech Agenda BW,” said Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister for Economic Affairs, Skilled Trades and Tourism.
The project is designed in particular to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with easy and cost-effective access to robotics and simulation applications, thereby helping to unlock the potential of robotic applications through games on a broad scale.
Unlike specialized simulation environments, game engines do not aim to replicate physical reality completely and with the highest precision. Instead, they create a simplified yet credible and interactive representation of the real world. This is precisely where their potential for robotics lies: the focus is on fast, intuitive usability rather than maximum physical accuracy.
The solutions developed in the project will be made available to the gaming and open-source communities. This will foster synergies between robotics and game development, opening new areas of application and business, particularly in serious games.
Funding for the “Robot Simulacrum” as part of the STEP platform makes an important contribution to securing Europe’s technological sovereignty. Support for this project promotes the development of innovative technologies in Baden-Württemberg and reduces dependence on third countries and proprietary technologies. This funding underscores the importance of investing in research and development to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and digital sovereignty sustainably.
FZI in Karlsruhe: Innovation hub for the region
The FZI is a nonprofit research institution specializing in applied research and technology transfer in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT). With its Robotics department and expertise in the development of mobile, autonomous robot systems, as well as in the fields of machine learning and safe human-robot collaboration, the FZI offers a unique environment for innovations developed for the benefit of society.
HdM Stuttgart: Center for human-centered digital innovations
The HdM Stuttgart is a leading center for research and development in digital innovation, with a focus on human-centered design, experience design, game design, mixed reality, and serious games. At the Institute for Games, interactive systems and immersive environments are researched and designed for various fields of application, such as education, healthcare, and culture. The HdM has extensive experience in participatory research and innovation processes and contributes its expertise in design research, co-creation, experience design, evaluation, and technology transfer to the project.
ERDF funding in Baden-Württemberg
To support regional structural development, Baden-Württemberg will receive approximately 279 million euros from the European Union through the ERDF during the 2021–2027 funding period. The “Robot Simulacrum” is part of the STEP platform, launched by the EU in March 2024. STEP is designed to support critical and emerging strategic technologies to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, security, and sovereignty, and to reduce dependencies in strategic technology sectors. These include digital technologies and technology-intensive innovations (deep tech), environmentally friendly and resource-efficient technologies, and biotechnologies. The Baden-Württemberg ERDF program is aligned with the Baden-Württemberg innovation strategy. It supports the priority areas of future technologies and skills, as well as resource conservation and climate protection.