Events

The Athena Research Center will participate in the 2nd Automation & Robotics Exhibition – A+R EXPO 2026, which will take place from April 25 to 27, 2026, at the Athens Metropolitan Expo. Athena’s participation represents an important opportunity to showcase its research work to a broad audience from the industrial, technological, and academic sectors. Innovative research results will be presented, covering a wide range of applications in robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), industrial systems, and automation.

 

The exhibition will feature the Industrial Systems Institute (ISI), the Institute of Robotics (IRO), and the Hellenic Robotics Center of Excellence (HERON). ISI will highlight innovative applications leveraging Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, as well as its cutting-edge expertise in 6G, AI, and intelligent transportation systems. In parallel, IRO together with HERON aim to present AI-driven robotic applications and technologies across a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, marine environments, safety, transportation, and healthcare.

What is the role of digital twins in modern industry? Digital twins are presented as tools that enable monitoring, simulation, and flexible reconfiguration of production lines. The innovative MoBAGen DT platform brings digital twins one step closer to the industry of the future, leveraging semantic modeling and Generative Artificial Intelligence for the automated creation, simulation, and optimization of production processes.

 

 

 

 

 

An innovative, intelligent IIoT & Edge Computing node is presented, reconfigurable in both hardware and software, combining high performance with advanced capabilities for secure management and processing of multiple data streams in heterogeneous industrial networks. The node supports quantum-resilient security technologies, enables interoperability, and is demonstratively integrated into a comprehensive distributed environment for operation, modeling, simulation, and emulation, supporting the implementation of a digital twin of a complex cyber-physical system, such as a modern, intelligent, and energy-efficient building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autonomous robotic systems for applications in safety, rescue, and environmental protection are presented, with emphasis on underwater, ground, and aerial robotic vehicles. These systems utilize perception, navigation, and cooperation algorithms to enable autonomous exploration of post-disaster environments, as well as the detection and collection of waste from the seabed.

 

TIAGo is a mobile manipulation robot designed for research and development in robotics applications. It consists of a mobile base, a robotic arm, and a controlled head. It is equipped with cameras, microphones, speakers, and depth sensors, enabling interaction with both the environment and humans. It is used in applications such as human-robot collaboration and indoor task automation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SO-ARM100 is a robotic arm used for evaluating and implementing proposed methods in real-world environments. Through the LeRobot platform, it supports the transition from simulation to real systems (sim-to-real), as well as the integration of imitation learning techniques and multimodal models, enabling more flexible and efficient control.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A robotic exoskeleton system designed to assist knee joint extension. It is worn by the user and does not restrict the natural complex kinematics of the knee joint, while allowing free movement in space. It ensures “transparent” operation when assistance is not required, while remaining lightweight, portable, and energy-autonomous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A small humanoid robot developed for educational purposes. In this application, it will mimic human motion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A small biped robot without knees, designed for minimal energy consumption during walking by exploiting passive dynamic locomotion. It will not be operational at the exhibition due to the need for a specialized track, but will be accompanied by video demonstrating its development and experimental results. Videos of additional research activities will also be presented.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A soft electromagnetic gripper designed for the safe and controlled harvesting of delicate fruits. It leverages soft robotics principles to adapt to the shape of each fruit, making it suitable for future applications in precision agriculture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhibition will showcase advanced technological solutions in automation and robotics, while also highlighting emerging technologies such as AI and drones. Its goal is to bring together industrial, professional, and research communities with leading companies and key players in these fields.

 

More information about the exhibition is available at: https://ar-expo.gr/