Travel Archives - ETF Robotics

ICRA2026

ETF Robotics — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:49:41 +0000

A few days at ICRA2026 gave our team exactly what conferences are meant to give: time together, good conversations, familiar faces, new encounters, and a renewed sense of where robotics is moving. This year felt especially nice because our team in Vienna also included Maja Trumic, currently at TU Delft working on the 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁-𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗦𝗖𝗔. It meant a lot to share this experience again in person, even while our work now stretches across different labs, cities, and projects. We were also happy to see CITADELS – Horizon WIDERA, the project coordinated by ETF Robotics, present its Catalogue of Deeptech TestBeds https://lnkd.in/dmqrcu2B. For us, that mattered not only because the project had a visible place at such an important conference, but because it opened space to talk about the kind of ecosystem we care about building: one that connects research, people, infrastructure, and new opportunities in robotics and DeepTech. One particularly meaningful stop for us was the AGIBOT booth, because AGIBOT is openning a factory for humanoid robots in Serbia. During the visit, our group leader Kosta Jovanovic presented a book about 𝗠𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗿 𝗩𝘂𝗸𝗼𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗰, one of the pioneers of Serbian robotics, whose work on the 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 […]

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Return from HMI2MARKET

ETF Robotics — Mon, 25 May 2026 13:36:00 +0000

On our way back from the inspiring HMI2MARKET consortium meeting in Munich, our team made a stop in Croatia to visit our project partners at CRTA – Regional Center of Excellence for Robotic Technology at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture. It was a real pleasure to spend time with their team, tour the laboratories, meet the research staff, and learn more about the work they are doing. Beyond the facilities and research capacities, what made this visit especially valuable was the chance to sit together, exchange perspectives, and talk openly about the topics that bring our teams closer. These moments outside formal meetings often say the most. They help us better understand each other’s environments, ways of working, and long-term interests, and that is often where the most meaningful ideas for future collaboration begin. We are thankful to our colleagues at CRTA, especially Marko Švaco, Maja Trstenjak and Antonija Lelas for their warm welcome, generosity, and the inspiring conversations. It was a pleasure to continue building this partnership in person, and we look forward to the projects, ideas, and shared initiatives that may grow from it.

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Final day of ERF2026

ETF Robotics — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:57:00 +0000

Today is the last day of ERF2026, and our ETF Robotics team, this time represented by Kosta Jovanovic and Завиша Гордић Zavisa Gordic, is wrapping up an intense few days in Stavanger with exactly what we came for: good conversations, new ideas, and stronger connections. 𝗘𝗥𝗙 is one of those rare places where research, industry, and policy meet in a very practical way. For us, the value has been in the discussions, catching up with partners, starting new ones, and comparing how different teams across Europe approach similar technical and organisational challenges in robotics. And since we’ll be sharing a photo from the fjord: Norway has been an amazing backdrop for all of this. The landscape here has a way of slowing you down just enough to think clearly, something that fits surprisingly well with the kind of long-term work we do in robotics. A sincere thank you to the organisers, Gabor Sziebig and Ahmed Nabil Belbachir, for the effort behind a strong programme and a welcoming forum for collaboration.

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NOTRE study visit to Bologna

ETF Robotics — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:47:00 +0000

𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: they help teams build a shared understanding of the ecosystem around a complex topic, and they create space to compare approaches with partners in a way that’s hard to replicate online. Within the Interreg Europe project NOTRE | Interreg EUROPE , ETF Robotics was represented in Bologna by Branko Lukić, Marija Novičić, and Gorana Milovanović, joining partners from across Europe for two days of exchange, networking, and hands-on learning 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 (the meeting took place on 18–19 February 2026). One of the key stops was DAMA Tecnopolo – Data Manifattura Emilia-Romagna, the heart of the regional Data Valley and a major European infrastructure for supercomputing, Big Data, and AI. A highlight was the visit to the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts – ECMWF) High Performance Computing facility, a strong reminder of how advanced computing supports real operational needs, from meteorology to climate modelling, and how these capabilities can inspire new approaches in health and care-related innovation. The programme also included visits to two centres of excellence in health and medical technology: Arte Ortopedica, specialised in prosthesis design and manufacturing CER MEDICAL S.R.L., a leading […]

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Educational trip to Slovenia

ETF Robotics — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 12:39:00 +0000

Last week, our PhD student 𝗩𝗲𝗹𝗷𝗸𝗼 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗰 and Associate Professor Nikola Knežević took part in the 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, organized within the Project ROMANDIC. The school focused on a practical and difficult problem: how robots can perceive and manipulate deformable objects, especially textiles. The format worked well – speaker sessions paired with hands-on labs and research discussions covering perception, simulation, control, benchmarking, and real-world applications. The practical tasks were carried out on ABB, PAL Robotics, and Franka Robotics platforms. Events like this are valuable in two directions: they help early-stage researchers work on real constraints and real systems, and they often bring forward solutions that are sometimes surprisingly creative compared to the “default” way we approach a problem in our day-to-day work. Thanks to Andrej Gams and the team at the Jozef Stefan Institute for the invitation and excellent organization.

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2026 IEEE/SICE International Symposium

ETF Robotics — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:15:00 +0000

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 Nikola Knežević 𝗮𝗻𝗱 Kosta Jovanovic 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗼, where they participated in the 2026 IEEE/SICE International Symposium on System Integration – SII 2026, held in the vibrant city of Cancun. During the conference, ETF Robotics had the opportunity to co-organize a special session titled “𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀”, focused on the latest research and industrial practices at the intersection of robotics, AI, and intelligent manufacturing. The special session was jointly organized by: • Tadej Petric, Jožef Stefan Institute – Principal Organizer• Kosta Jovanovic, University of Belgrade• Aljaz Kramberger, University of Southern Denmark• Panagiotis Karagiannis, University of Patras• Emel Demircan, California State University• Yoshikawa Taizo, Honda Research Institute As part of the session, our team presented the paper:“𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻-𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻”𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀: Nikola Knežević, Milos Dimcic, PhD, Sasha Jokic, Kosta Jovanovic The paper addresses how cognitive robotics and digital twin technologies can enable more intelligent and flexible processes in house design and fabrication – reducing construction time and costs, while simultaneously supporting workers and enhancing their well-being on construction sites. This work is a direct outcome of the collaboration between Cosmic and ETF Robotics, […]

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Study visit in Bulgaria

ETF Robotics — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

As part of the BrAIn | Interreg Danube Region Programme, our colleagues Zaviša Gordić and Nikola Knežević took part in a study visit in Bulgaria, organized by the ICT Cluster Bulgaria, focused on strengthening connections across research, innovation, and industry. A key moment of the visit was the opportunity to spend time at INSAIT – Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology, gaining first-hand insight into how a young but ambitious research institute is structured, how it operates, and how it positions itself at the intersection of cutting-edge research and international collaboration. The visit also included Technical University of Sofia – Centre of Excellence for Technology Development and Transfer, as well as Sofia Tech Park JSC and EuroHPC Center, where discussions centered around infrastructure, technology transfer, and ongoing projects that bridge advanced research with real-world applications. The day concluded with a visit to Spesima GmbH, a valued partner of ETF Robotics within the BrAIn project, where we are jointly working on the development and integration of an energy efficiency module. Seeing this collaboration progress in an industrial context reinforced the importance of close, trust-based partnerships between academia and companies. Visits like these go beyond presentations and site tours. They […]

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🤝 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

ETF Robotics — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:04:00 +0000

We are pleased to share that Filip Bečanović, Research Associate at the University of Belgrade, School of Electrical Engineering and a member of ETF Robotics, recently completed a 10-day research visit to the 𝗚𝗲𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 at LAAS-CNRS in Toulouse, France. This visit further strengthened the 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Filip spent 11 months at LAAS-CNRS during his PhD studies – an experience that shaped his research focus and continues to influence his current work. During his stay, he met with colleagues 𝗝𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗰, Sylvain Calinon, Pauline Maurice, exchanged insights with professor Vincent Bonnet, and Nicolas Mansard on ongoing robotics research, and discussed future collaboration agendas between the two teams. He also had the chance to support Teodora Srećković, a student from our laboratory currently completing an internship at LAAS-CNRS, and to celebrate the PhD defense of Maxime Sabbah. We are sincerely grateful to the Institut français de Serbie, and Vesna Adamovic whose continued support for academic cooperation helps strengthen ties between Serbian and French research institutions. Initiatives like this underline how important international collaboration is, not just for advancing robotics research, but for 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.

The post 🤝 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 appeared first on ETF Robotics.

𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘀, 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀: 𝗘𝗧𝗙 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀’ 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗠𝗦𝗖𝗔 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

ETF Robotics — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:51:00 +0000

We couldn’t be prouder! Our colleague Maja Trumic, a long-time member of ETF Robotics, has been awarded the prestigious 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝗸ł𝗼𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗸𝗮-𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗠𝗦𝗖𝗔) grant for her project 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁-𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁, which she will develop at TU Delft | Mechanical Engineering under the mentorship of Prof. Cosimo Della Santina. The 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁-𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁 project envisions a new generation of soft robots capable of navigating confined spaces safely and performing delicate operations, from aircraft engines to disaster-struck infrastructure. By combining elasticity, precision control, and intelligent learning, these robots could make future interventions both safer and smarter. At ETF Robotics, Maja has been one of the driving forces behind our soft robotics research, developing control algorithms for soft articulated and soft continuum robots. As she embarks on this exciting journey, she leaves behind her colleague Miloš Rašić, who will continue developing soft robots – one of which proudly resides in our 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 at the Palata nauke – Zadužbina Miodraga Kostića. We’ll miss her energy and creativity here at home, but we know that 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝘆, and we look forward to seeing her return with new insights, experiences, and an even clearer vision for the 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝘁 University of Belgrade, […]

The post 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘀, 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀: 𝗘𝗧𝗙 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀’ 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗠𝗦𝗖𝗔 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 appeared first on ETF Robotics.

Nikola Ružić: Bridging Research and Practice from ETF to DLR

ETF Robotics — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:47:00 +0000

Curiosity often grows where theory meets application, and that’s exactly where Nikola Ružić’s journey began. From long hours in the ETF Robotics lab to upcoming work at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) within the euROBIN Brain Magnet Program, Nikola’s story reflects the path of a young engineer learning not only how to build better robots, but how to collaborate, adapt, and grow within a global research community. His experience shows that innovation is as much about people and shared learning as it is about algorithms and machines. Can you briefly introduce yourself and share a bit about your interests? In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends along the Danube River and tinkering in my home workshop on small projects. I also like playing Club Bridge, which I find to be a great way to relax while keeping my analytical and problem-solving skills sharp. Can you tell us about the topic of your research and what you’ve been working on at ETF Robotics? My research focuses on advanced control methods for mobile manipulators, particularly in tasks that require safe physical interaction with the environment, such as assembly, cutting, or polishing. At ETF Robotics, we developed a state-of-the-art algorithm […]

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