Fincantieri and the Italian Institute of Technology Foundation signed a letter of intent to explore the possibility of starting joint initiatives in the field of robotics applied to the assistance and safety of operators.

The agreement was signed by Professor Giorgio Metta, Scientific Director of the Italian Institute of Technology Foundation, and by Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri. The collaboration will initially focus on the development of prototype robotic systems, both autonomous and collaborative, for the execution of remote inspections and assistance to operators, on exoskeletons for lower and upper limbs to be applied to specific production and logistics activities, and on the introduction of technologies dedicated to high-risk operations (including work at height). The aim of the cooperation is to improve the levels of safety at work and the efficiency of production processes.

Claudio Cisilino, Executive Vice President Operations, Corporate Strategy and Innovation of Fincantieri, commented: “Workplace safety and technological innovation are our guiding principles and underlie the actions envisaged by Fincantieri’s Business Plan with the ambition to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. Our aim is therefore to integrate them improving the operational capacity of the Group’s human capital”. “We firmly believe that innovative robotic platforms and exoskeletons for lower and upper limbs have the potential to revolutionize the health and safety conditions of workers, especially in the heavy industry – said Darwin Caldwell, Head of the Advanced Robotics (ADVR) laboratory of the Italian Institute of Technology – We are thrilled to start the collaboration with Fincantieri, to match the most promising technological proposals in the field of assistive and inspection robotics, that we develop in our laboratories, with Fincantieri’s field experience”