Group of Robotics adds competences to INESC Porto

The entry of the Group of Robotics and Intelligent Systems (Robis) in INESC Porto, highlighted in the BIP of July, consolidated the acquisition of competences by INESC Porto, opening the path for a plethora of potential synergies and markets. BIP interviewed Américo Azevedo, the coordinator of ROBIS, together with António Paulo Moreira, in order to understand how he sees this new challenge of playing a double role at INESC Porto and what he thinks are the benefits that both the Group of Robotics and INESC Porto can take from this relationship.

Interview with Américo Azevedo

BIP: What do you think INESC Porto and the Group of Robotics gain with this relationship?

Américo Azevedo (AA): Both INESC Porto and the Group of Robotics have a lot to win from this integration. On one hand, the Group of Robotics became part of an institution that works as a multifunctional R&D platform that has been developing over the years in a sustainable way. This means that INESC Porto can work as leverage for the Group’s development and evolution. In fact, other than exploring synergies with several units, the Group of Robotics can take advantage of a professional management and support structure, as well as benefit from INESC Porto’s outstanding contacts and connections both at national and international levels.

On the other hand, INESC Porto is now capable of increasing its areas of intervention, managing, at the same time, to achieve a status of differentiation to which the Group of Robotics can contribute with competences that are interesting, and promote new applications that aren’t exclusively industrial. In fact, the Group of Robotics develops advanced surveillance and sensing technologies and even robots for robotic soccer competitions. However, it is true that the industrial component of the Group of Robotics will strengthen INESC Porto in this area, mainly developed by the Manufacturing Systems Engineering Unit (UESP).

BIP: How will INESC Porto benefit from these new competences?

AA: Although it is something new, the inclusion of ROBIS is also an opportunity for INESC Porto to revisit technologies and competences in which it had already invested in before, namely at an industrial level. And these differentiating and appealing technologies will promote a significant external visibility, which will result in an increasing number of news in the media. Above all, this will bring numberless opportunities in the industry domain and at the level of services.

INESC Porto is professionalising in a sustainable way and an R&D Group that wants to be competitive must be professional. INESC Porto can give that to the Group of Robotics. On the other hand, by exploring the Group’s capacities, INESC Porto can promote synergies and enter new markets.

BIP: As a researcher working at UESP and as coordinator of the Group of Robotics, you have a double task at INESC Porto. How do you see that challenge?

AA: The Board of Directors of INESC Porto has carefully and professionally planned the integration of the new Group, seeking to welcome the new collaborators as efficiently and effectively as possible.

They wanted to make sure that the ongoing activities continued and that the expectations of the team’s members were known, showing and transmitting, at the same time, the culture and “practices” of INESC Porto.

Therefore, my role is to try and make this inclusion as smooth and effective as possible. For that, I can use my academic background and experience in this area. My challenge is to work essentially as a facilitating link between INESC Porto and the Group of Robotics and Intelligent Systems.