LAB23 - E3SR

Sustainable robotics requires a delicate balance between energy efficiency and safety. This project therefore aims to develop concepts and methods that enable robots to operate safely in dynamic environments while optimizing their energy consumption. To this end, scientists from the University of Stuttgart (IAS, ISW) and KIT (KASTEL-MASE) are conducting interdisciplinary research in a constructive, analytical and empirical manner. To this end, a joint, distributed robotics laboratory is being created to investigate strategies for reducing energy requirements and system explainability in vivo and to improve them with methods for safety analysis in order to reconcile the supposedly contradictory goals of energy efficiency and safety.

Aim, approach and benefit

The primary objective of the E3SR project is to harmonize energy efficiency and safety in autonomous robotics through methods of self-explainability. The focus lies on developing methods for transparently adapting robot behavior to changing conditions.

Collaborating across institutes, the project encompasses three main thrusts. Firstly, the University of Stuttgart ISW US) will explore strategies to reduce energy consumption through software optimization. Secondly, advanced safety analysis methods will be developed by IAS US, ensuring robots operate without endangering humans or their environment. Thirdly, KIT (KASTEL-MASE) will delve into modeling, analyzing and explaining automated mobile agents, addressing conflicts and optimizing movement strategies.

The project aims to create a conducive environment for developing methods that enable explainable and energy-efficient robots to operate safely in dynamic environments. The collaborative approach facilitates interdisciplinary insights and ensures the generalizability of the developed methods. Moreover, the project's outcomes will contribute to sustainability goals by enhancing the energy efficiency of robotic systems, aligning with global initiatives such as the European Green Deal and the United Nations' sustainability goals. Our goal of explainable and robotics will further on assist regulation bodies and the open public in assessing the trustworthiness of the automated systems.