What’s New in Research Area 1: Portable and Smart Automation

9/1/2025

In Research Area 1 (RA1), Portable and Smart Automation, the past few months have been marked by rapid progress, closer ties with industry, and exciting academic contributions. Together, researchers and partner companies are laying the groundwork for automation solutions that are not only innovative, but also practical and scalable.

From Industry Challenges to Research Opportunities

At the heart of RA1’s work are four industrial use cases, each developed in collaboration with leading companies: portable and cloneable automation with Alfa Laval; kitting and material handling for assembly with ABB and Hitachi Energy; a soft PLC solution with Scania; and the integration of humanoids and cobots in production at Volvo CE.

For each case, researchers have set short-term goals for demonstration systems while preparing lab environments for upcoming testing and validation. These steps ensure that academic research remains closely aligned with the realities of industrial production.

Building Shared Understanding

Collaboration has also taken center stage. In early August, RA1 gathered industry partners in Eskilstuna for two dedicated workshops. Hosted at Munktells, the sessions fostered a shared vision for portable and smart automation, while also diving into the software tools that will help bring this vision to life. Such exchanges not only strengthen partnerships but also accelerate the translation of ideas into real-world solutions.

Knowledge That Extends Beyond the Lab

Research outputs are beginning to take shape as well. RA1 has set an ambitious target of fifteen publications in the near future, with each paper addressing emerging challenges discovered through the ongoing use cases. This focus on industry-driven problems ensures that results are both scientifically robust and practically relevant.

At the same time, RA1 continues to nurture the next generation of experts. Five recently completed master’s theses highlight just how diverse and forward-looking this research area has become. each addressing key aspects of automation and future production systems:

• Automated Kitting – Mahmoud Kousa and Suber Adami
• Servitization of Automation – Enisa Gülen and Raniah Nabeel Majeed Al-Zuhairi
• Exploring Future Production Systems Using Smart and Portable Automation – Joakim Wallstersson and Hampus Öberg
• A Framework for Selecting and Implementing Autonomous Mobile Robots in Intralogistics to Facilitate the Transition to a Smart Factory in Manufacturing Companies – Nilufer Ay and Mohammed Waleed Imran Al-Janabi
• Supporting Manufacturing Companies When Implementing Cobots in the Context of Industry 5.0 – Isabell Rodriguez and Jesper Strömbäck

Looking Forward

The progress of RA1 highlights the strong collaboration between academia and industry, with outcomes that both advance scientific knowledge and address the automation challenges of tomorrow’s production systems.

Congratulations to the RA1 team on their achievements and continued contributions to smart and portable automation research.