CogIMon · Project

Robots That Safely Work Alongside People Using Soft Adaptive Movements

manufacturingPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

Imagine shaking hands with a robot — right now most industrial robots are stiff and dangerous if they bump into you. This project taught robots to move the way people do: soft when they need to be gentle, firm when they need to grip. The team built a humanoid robot called COMAN that can catch and throw objects, walk over uneven ground, and even carry heavy items together with a human partner. Think of it as giving robots the physical intuition that lets a person hand you a coffee cup without crushing it or dropping it.

By the numbers

EUR 5,688,126

EU funding for compliant robot research

consortium partners across Europe

countries involved (CH, DE, IT, UK)

total project deliverables

physical robot demonstrations completed

The business problem

What needed solving

Factory floors still rely on rigid robots locked behind safety cages because standard industrial arms cannot adjust their force when a human gets close. This limits mixed human-robot workflows, requires expensive safety infrastructure, and prevents robots from handling tasks that need a gentle or adaptive touch — like assembling fragile components or passing objects to workers.

The solution

What was built

The team built a scaled humanoid robot (COMAN) with variable stiffness across its whole body, demonstrated it catching and throwing objects (month 18) and walking under changing constraints (month 24). They also demonstrated multi-arm handling where KUKA LWR robots share manipulation tasks with human co-workers. In total, 27 deliverables were produced including the hardware prototype and control software.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive manufacturers redesigning assembly lines for human-robot collaborationRobot integrators building collaborative workcells for SME factoriesMedical device companies developing rehabilitation and physiotherapy robotsLogistics companies automating pick-and-pack with mixed human-robot teamsDefense and security firms needing robots that operate safely near personnel

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive & Heavy Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Automotive assembly plants and heavy manufacturers using robotic arms

If you are an automotive manufacturer dealing with worker injuries from repetitive heavy lifting or rigid robot fencing requirements — this project developed compliant whole-body control that lets robots adjust their stiffness in real-time when working near people. The team demonstrated multi-arm handling with KUKA LWR robots sharing tasks with human workers, directly applicable to mixed assembly lines. Built across 9 partners with EUR 5,688,126 in EU funding over 4 years.

Logistics & Warehousing

mid-size

Target: Warehouse operators and third-party logistics providers

If you are a logistics company struggling with labor shortages for manual picking and packing — this project built robots that can catch and throw objects and adapt their grip force automatically. The robotic demonstration of catching and throwing (delivered at month 18) shows capability for handling packages of varying weight and fragility without reprogramming for each item type.

Rehabilitation & Assistive Robotics

any

Target: Medical device companies and rehabilitation clinics

If you are a rehabilitation provider looking for robots that can safely guide patients through physical exercises — this project developed variable impedance control that adjusts robot resistance based on human movement. The EuroSciVoc classification includes physiotherapy, and the adaptive compliance technology means the robot can resist or assist a patient's arm movement in real-time, making physical therapy more responsive than fixed-program devices.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project was publicly funded with EUR 5,688,126 from the EU under a Research and Innovation Action (RIA). Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the coordinator (Technische Universität Braunschweig) and relevant consortium partners. As a university-led project with zero industrial partners, IP is likely held by academic institutions.

Can this scale to an industrial production environment?

The project demonstrated multi-arm handling with KUKA LWR robots alongside humans, which uses commercially available hardware. However, the consortium had 0 industrial partners and 0% industry ratio, meaning the technology was validated in lab settings only. Significant integration engineering would be needed for factory deployment.

What is the IP and patent situation?

With 7 universities and 2 research organizations in the consortium, intellectual property is distributed across academic institutions in 4 countries (Germany, Italy, UK, Switzerland). Based on available project data, specific patent filings are not documented in the deliverable list, but 27 total deliverables likely include technical reports detailing the IP landscape.

How mature is the technology — is it ready to deploy?

The team built a physical hardware prototype (Scaled COMAN humanoid) and completed robotic demonstrations of walking, catching, and throwing by month 24. This puts it at roughly TRL 4-5: validated in a lab environment but not yet tested in real industrial conditions.

What hardware does this work with?

The project demonstrated integration with KUKA LWR (Lightweight Robot) arms, which are commercially available industrial robots. The custom COMAN humanoid was built as a research platform. The software and control methods could potentially be adapted to other compliant robotic platforms.

Is regulatory compliance for human-robot collaboration addressed?

Based on available project data, the project focused on the technical control and mechatronics challenges rather than regulatory certification. Companies adopting this technology would still need to meet ISO 15066 and relevant machinery directive requirements for collaborative robot deployment.

Who would provide technical support for implementation?

Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany) coordinated the project with 9 partners. The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and other consortium members contributed to specific subsystems. Post-project support would depend on individual partner availability and licensing agreements.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a purely academic consortium: 7 universities and 2 research organizations with zero industrial partners across 4 countries. The 0% industry ratio is a significant gap for commercialization — no manufacturer, system integrator, or end-user was involved to validate real-world requirements. The coordinator, Technische Universität Braunschweig in Germany, is a strong technical university, and the consortium includes the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia which is active in robotics. However, the path from lab demonstrations to commercial product will require finding an industrial champion willing to invest in technology transfer, since none was built into the original project team. The EUR 5,688,126 budget reflects serious research investment, but commercialization funding would be additional.

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET BRAUNSCHWEIGCoordinator · DE
FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIAparticipant · IT
EBERHARD KARLS UNIVERSITAET TUEBINGENparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITAET BIELEFELDparticipant · DE
THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGHparticipant · UK
FONDAZIONE SANTA LUCIAparticipant · IT
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINEparticipant · UK
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMparticipant · UK
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNEparticipant · CH

How to reach the team

Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany — search for the robotics or control engineering department lead associated with CogIMon

Order a report on this consortium See TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET BRAUNSCHWEIG profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the compliant robot control technology from CogIMon for your production line? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the research team and help assess fit for your specific use case.

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