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Flying robots at HANNOVER MESSE

  • February 23, 2009
  • News

Summary

February 23, 2009 - This year's Factory Automation show under the umbrella of HANNOVER MESSE 2009 will feature all the latest industrial automation developments. "These cost-effective industrial applications are critical to the sustained success of the European economy," reports Matthias Goeke, Managing Director with sole power of representation at the Goeke Technology Group. "For ourselves and other innovative enterprises, the Factory Automation trade fair represents an ideal platform to present outstanding technology solutions to a broad specialist audience."As an international flagship tradeshow, Factory Automation covers all aspects of integrated automation production solutions, featuring numer¬ous launches of new mechanical engineering and robotics innovations. The show's diverse array of offerings is rounded out by a series of forums, expert panel discussions, specialist presentations and workshops.Application Park offers inside glimpse of industrial production processesHANNOVER MESSE is teaming up with the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) to present the "Application Park" special display at the Factory Automation trade fair. Staged in Hall 17, Application Park will be the scene of live demonstrations of automation expertise. These demonstrations will not only allow visitors to HANNOVER MESSE 2009 to get a firsthand look at some typical applications, but will also provide suppliers of automation components or solutions with that all-important, direct opportunity to promote confidence in their solutions competence. After all, automation solutions are highly complex, and each user has his own set of individual requirements. The main focus at the special display this year will be on robot-supported automation and identification technology.Successful "mobile areas" back in 2009After its spectacular live demonstrations proved such a big hit among visitors and the media last year, the "Mobile Robots & Autonomous Systems" special display will be back in 2009. "For the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence [DFKI] in Bremen, HANNOVER MESSE is the most significant technology and industry exhibition of all - it represents a superb platform for networking between research and industry," comments Prof. Dr. Frank Kirchner, speaker of the Bremen location of DFKI and Director of the Robotics Laboratory at the University of Bremen. He continues: "By consolidating the topic of 'Mobile Robots & Autonomous Systems' in its own hall last year, including a high-class speakers' forum and mobile areas for live system demonstrations, we were able to offer an authentic presentation of our extensive expertise in the areas of underwater, aeronautical and security robotics for the benefit of visiting specialists."Flying robots over Hannover Exhibition CenterA further refinement to this innovative exhibition concept involves live demonstrations, not just in the special "mobile areas", but also in the air: UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles) will be a special highlight in 2009. This will be backed up by live demonstrations of glass façade-cleaning robots - also decidedly "aboveground". And the technology behind all of these mobile helpers is as sophisticated as it is reliable."Technological advances in computer science and embedded systems are making it possible to steadily increase the autonomy of technical systems," explains Matthias Brucke, Director of Business Development at the OFFIS Institute for Computer Science. Brucke is bringing his organization's flying robot named "Guard" to HANNOVER MESSE 2009. The potential applications for this robot include the surveillance and protection of national borders, the monitoring of maritime and coastal zones and the monitoring of critical infrastructures involving traffic, energy supplies and the urban environment. "Autopilots to keep a plane on course are a longstanding feature of aviation," declares Brucke, at the same time offering a hypothesis that appears highly plausible once you see "Guard" flying through the air at HANNOVER MESSE 2009: "I believe that autonomous flying robots will become an established part of civil aviation over the coming years, possibly even taking on additional tasks in the field of logistics and transport."World debut at HANNOVER MESSE 2009: Robot balletGötting KG, the Lehrte-based manufacturer of sensors for automatic guided vehicle systems (AGV), will be appearing at a joint pavilion with ten other AGV manufacturers at HANNOVER MESSE 2009. Götting KG has been developing and producing wireless control and sensor technology since 1965. "AGVs have played a special role over the past two decades, particularly in Germany," reports Hans-Hermann Götting, Managing Director of Götting KG, adding: "Germany is actually the world's leading technology provider in this field. In Germany more than 20 companies currently specialize in AGV technology. Götting KG sponsors the AGV community and offers favorable rates to its co-exhibitors - a decision which is also motivated by the fact that virtually all of our co-exhibitors are also our customers."Götting has developed a unique idea for presenting its own products and those of its co-exhibitors in order to underscore HANNOVER MESSE's reputation as "a Mecca of the AGV community," declares Götting: "All automatically guided vehicles are members of a 'ballet' troupe, being coordinated by a wireless control system so they can move in a tight space and still not collide with one another." This will reportedly be the first time such a large number of vehicles from different manufacturers have been guided in unison. Given the tough competition in the marketplace, manufacturers have up to now avoided cooperating to such an open extent. "To our knowledge, this performance will represent a unique first anywhere in the world," enthuses Götting. Learn More

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