The RICAIP Testbed Prague is proud to celebrate another outstanding achievement. Elizaveta Isianova, a recent graduate and applied researcher at the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics, and Cybernetics at Czech Technical University in Prague (CIIRC CTU), has been awarded the prestigious Werner von Siemens Award 2025 in the Industry 4.0 category. Her recognition highlights not only her personal achievement but also the thriving research ecosystem at the RICAIP Testbed Prague, which continues to foster innovation, hands-on learning, and industrially relevant solutions.
Elizaveta completed her Master’s degree in Robotics and Cybernetics at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at CTU, building on her Bachelor’s in Cybernetics and Robotics. Since joining the Testbed in 2021, first as a junior researcher and then full-time in 2022, she has worked closely with Varun Burde, Ph.D. candidate and fellow Testbed researcher, who supervised her master thesis and provided crucial guidance in integrating advanced AI methods into practical robotics.
Her award-winning project addresses a long-standing challenge in industrial robotics – enabling robots to manipulate unfamiliar objects without the need for time-consuming manual programming. Elizaveta applied visual-language models to enable semantic grasping, allowing robots to understand functional parts of objects and perform zero-shot manipulation.
The inspiration for this project came directly from my work at the Testbed for Industry 4.0. Even in modern factories, a surprising amount of time is spent manually teaching robots. My goal was to create a system capable of generalizing grasping to new objects, which is particularly valuable in manufacturing environments with high variability.
The originality of her solution lies in combining cognitive robotics with traditional Industry 4.0 automation. Unlike conventional approaches that rely solely on geometric data or repetitive programming, her system interprets semantic meaning and object function, significantly increasing flexibility and adaptability. “The toughest challenge was bridging the semantic world of language with the precise requirements of robotic manipulation,” she notes. “Creating a robust connection between these two domains pushed me to rethink how robots can understand and act in the real world.”
Varun Burde reflects on her contribution: “Elizaveta’s work exemplifies the collaborative, innovative spirit of the Testbed. She successfully merged cutting-edge AI research with practical robotic systems, demonstrating the impact that our integrated lab environment can have on real industrial challenges. It’s incredibly rewarding to see this level of research, developed within the Testbed, receive such a recognition.”
Pavel Burget, Director of RICAIP Testbed Prague, emphasizes the broader significance:
Achievements like Elizaveta’s highlight the strength of a research ecosystem where students, supervisors, and advanced facilities collaborate closely. By supporting curiosity-driven research and providing access to real industrial challenges, we equip the next generation of innovators to develop practical solutions that can be applied directly in industry.
Elizaveta’s success at the Werner von Siemens Award 2025 underscores the Testbed’s role as more than a research facility – it is a catalyst for talent, mentorship, and applied innovation. We’re proud of what you’ve achieved, Elizaveta. Congratulations!