Belgian tech centre Sirris invests €850,000 in infrastructure for “smart factory”

The Belgian tech industry’s knowledge centre, Sirris, has inaugurated the new infrastructure at its test and development centre for companies in Diepenbeek, near Hasselt. Sirris has invested €850,000 in the centre, mostly for precision machines that manufacture on a micro-level. An additional €100,000 went to so-called “smart production” applications, like robotics.

The most remarkable feature of the centre, dubbed a “smart factory”, is the Baxter robot. The American-produced robot, which has two arms and a head, is an ideal tool to improve the collaboration between worker and machine because it can quickly copy human actions.  

“You just have to demonstrate new actions to the robot, instead of installing a complex new programme,” said project leader Filiep Vincent. “The robot is also equipped with sensors and cameras, which means that it doesn’t have to be contained in a structure to protect human colleagues during the co-operation.”

www.sirris.be 

photo courtesy madedifferent.be