Starting as a Norwegian-Hungarian initiative, the € 1.4 million Norway Grants robot technology project HUNOROB has opened up for research in robot technology and development of highly intelligent and flexible robotics for use in the health care sector and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Through the project, a state-of-the-art research laboratory has been established where scientists from all over the world can exchange and share knowledge as well as collaborate on developing new, environmentally friendly robot technologies.
In May the Norwegian and Hungarian project promoters met to celebrate the first phase of the project, and to mark the continuation of the scientific endeavour on a global scale.
"The project does not only strengthen our bilateral cooperation, but it also contributes to the development of new, cutting edge technologies within robot technology which can be transformed into marketable results. I am certain that we have only laid the founding stone of this project, and that the global success is still ahead of us," said Norway’s ambassador to Hungary, Siri Ellen Sletner at the ceremony.
New horizons for future cooperation
Over the last years the HUNOROB-project has received global attention, and 20 of the most prestigious institutes in Japan, China, India, Korea, USA and several EU-countries are now involved in the project. Through a common, virtual platform the research laboratory, which is among the very few in Europe and unique in the Hungarian region, integrates knowledge from multiple universities and research institutions all over the world. This enables users to access information globally as well as to share and distribute information on latest development.
"This shows that research and knowledge are indeed devoid of borders, and that distance is irrelevant. Through this project cooperation across borders has been strengthened and new horizons for future cooperation has been opened," said ambassador Sletner.
Research collaboration
The HUNOROB project was an initiative between the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Norwegian Productive Programming methods (PPM AS), and the Norwegian Narvik University College (NUC).
A total of 50 researchers have been involved in the project, 5 bilateral laboratories have been installed and 10 students have been on study trips either to Norway or Hungary.
Photo and text: Guri Merete Smenes, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Budapest