RICAIP Project Final Conference 2026
Part of the RICAIP Days 2026
June 2 | 09:00 – June 3 | 14:00 UTC+1
“AI & Robotics at the Frontier of the Physical World”
RICAIP Center 1st Conference: From Industrial AI to Intelligent Physical Systems
The RICAIP Project Final Conference marks the culmination of the RICAIP project while opening a new chapter. Rather than a retrospective closure, it is designed as a forward-looking European meeting point, connecting Advanced Manufacturing, Industrial AI and Robotics with frontier trends in AI interaction with the physical world.
It has the ambition to work as a European-level forum where advanced manufacturing meets frontier AI interacting with the physical world, shaping the next era of Industry 4.0, Society 4.0, and Europe’s technological sovereignty.
The Conference Combines:
- High-level strategic debate bringing together EU policymakers, industry leaders and leading researchers to discuss the future of AI and robotics in manufacturing.
- Presentation of RICAIP results, showcasing advances in industrial AI, robotics and distributed manufacturing developed within the project.
- Live demonstrations of interconnected RICAIP testbeds, highlighting practical applications such as distributed manufacturing and Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS).
- Expert discussion on emerging frontier topics, creating space for identifying new directions for European research and industrial collaboration.
Main Topic Areas:
1. RICAIP Core – Industrial AI & Advanced Manufacturing
- AI-driven manufacturing systems
- Flexible and adaptive production
- Manufacturing-as-a-Service
- Human–robot collaboration
- Economic and workforce impact of AI and robotics
- Lessons from RICAIP demonstrators and CZ–DE cooperation
2. Frontier AI & the Physical World
- AI interacting with the physical world (AI embedded in robots, materials, environments)
- Cognitive & adaptive machines towards humanoid robots
- Human-centric AI in real-world settings
- From Industry 4.0 to Society 4.0: Strategic implications
- Identifying new, non-obvious collaboration topics for Europe
Conference Structure:
The programme is designed in four parts:
Part 1: RICAIP Core – Industrial AI & Advanced Manufacturing
Showcasing RICAIP demonstrators, cross-border collaboration between Czech and German partners, and real industrial applications in areas such as distributed manufacturing and AI-enabled production systems.
Part 2: Frontier Expert Forum: AI & The Physical World | Session A: Understanding the Frontier
A strategic exploration of emerging trends at the intersection of AI, robotics and the physical world. This session frames the broader technological and societal context, discussing how intelligent physical systems, human–AI interaction and advanced manufacturing are shaping the next phase of Industry 4.0 and beyond.
Part 3: Strategic Roundtable: What Comes After RICAIP
Outlining a long-term collaboration model building on RICAIP results beyond the project duration, including the role of RICAIP Centre as a platform for IPR management and technology transfer bridging research excellence and industrial deployment.
Part 4: Frontier Expert Forum: AI & The Physical World | Session B: Acting on the Frontier
A focused session connecting strategic initiatives with real-world implementation. It highlights key European and national projects driving AI in the physical world and brings together industry, research and policy leaders to discuss emerging challenges and priorities for future collaboration.
Agenda:
MORNING (Part 1)
AFTERNOON (Part 2 & 3)
| PART 2 | Frontier Expert Forum: AI & the Physical World Session A: Understanding the Frontier Vision, framing Sense-making across disciplines Opening intellectual space |
| 13:20–14:00 | Keynote Address: Smaller, Smarter, and Trustier: European Strategies for the Next Generation of AI Systems Prof. Wolfgang Wahlster, CEA, DFKI, Germany |
| 14:00–14:40 | Keynote Address: Developing Artificial Intelligence and Automation for Industry: A Moving Target Prof. Duncan McFarlane, University of Cambridge, UK |
| 14:40– 15:30 | Frontier Perspectives: AI Interacting with the Physical World • Václav Kubáček, Researcher, CIIRC CTU :”Humanoid Robotics Beyond the Hype: Challenges of Sim-to-Real Transfer“ • Torsten Sattler, Senior Researcher, CIIRC CTU: “Modelling the World and Objects in 3D“ • Vladimir Petrik, Researcher, CIIRC CTU: “Embodied AI“ • Matej Sulitka, RCMT FME CTU: “Usage of digital twins for automated quality control in machining” • Luděk Žalud, Researcher, Brno University of Technology: “Presentation of CEITEC VUT and Brno testbed“ |
| 15:30–16:00 | Coffee Break |
| PART 3 | Strategic Roundtable: What Comes After RICAIP? |
| 16:00–16:45 | From Project to Platform: Sustainable Academia–Industry Collaboration in Europe • Robert Keil, Director, National Centre for Industry 4.0 • Jiří Kabelka, Chairman of the Board, DEL • Luboš Lukasík, Co-Founder, Machify • Pavel Burget, Director of RICAIP Testbed Prague Objective: To define a long-term collaboration model building on RICAIP results beyond the project lifetime, positioning RICAIP Centre as a permanent European platform for IPR management, technology transfer and industrial engagement, supported by the newly established INNOBRIDGE fund as a bridge between research excellence and industrial uptake. Key discussion themes:
|
| 16:45–17:15 | Guided tours through RICAIP Testbed Prague, CIIRC CTU (each floor 15 minutes) |
| 17:15–19:00 | Break for hotel check-in, rest / room for informal bilateral meetings |
| 19:00–22:00 | RICAIP Expert Dinner (Invitation-only) opening with a concert Venue: Respirium, Building B |
MORNING (Part 4)
After the conclusion of this part of RICAIP Days 2026, guests are welcome to join selected innovation walks within the parallel event “Tech Dating 2026” for companies. This programme opens the CIIRC CTU laboratories to the broader innovation ecosystem and will be conducted in Czech.
Selected speakers & Panelists
Registration Form
We warmly invite all stakeholders and distinguished guests to register for RICAIP Days 2026, particularly for RICAIP Project Final Conference 2026.
Even if you have already received a personal invitation, we kindly ask you to complete the registration form so that we can confirm your participation and better organise the event.
For those registering without a prior invitation, please note that we reserve the right to confirm registrations in due course.
Venue
Czech Technical University in Prague
Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics
Address:
Jugoslávských partyzánů 1580/3
160 00 Praha 6 – Dejvice
GPS 50.1037711N, 14.3945119E