CHF 40,000 each for startups developing AI solutions for collaborative robots and digitizing humans
28.12.2020
AICA and VAY win Venture Kick’s second stage of financial and entrepreneurial support. Their projects provide smart software that combines artificial intelligence with adaptive control for collaborative robots and gives everyone access to athlete-grade motion analysis.
5.jpg) |
 |
 Aica's CEO Lukas Huber & CTO Baptiste Busch
|
|
 VAY's CEO Joel Roos
|
|
AICA: Artificial Intelligence to Simplify Robot Programming (aica.tech)
Programming an industrial robot is complicated and costly. Currently, around 2/3 of the integration cost is the sole result of programming. It is estimated that around 85% of industrial tasks are not automated due to costly and rigid programming. AICA provides a smart and simple software that combines artificial intelligence modules with simple graphical programming, to allow the creation of flexible applications for robots. AICA SarL, a spin-off from the EPFL, was co-founded by CEO Lukas Huber and CTO Baptiste Busch, respectively Ph.D. and Postdoctoral Researcher of the EPFL robotics laboratory LASA led by Prof. Aude Billard. The AI modules and flexible control algorithms are the outcome of years of research and are ready for transfer to industry. Combined with graphical programming, they simplify the interaction with robots to make production centers more agile and competitive. This is particularly relevant for the many SMEs in Switzerland. Their solution empowers robots to solve difficult tasks, such as assembly of high-precision workpieces, polishing of irregular surfaces, or implementation of frequently changing testing sets. The collaborative robot market has a size of 1.2 Billion USD and is expected to grow >600% until 2025. AICA's target market is 240 Mio. USD within the next 5 years with predicted growth. The Venture Kick funds will be used to participate in international robotic fairs, customize the product for the Swiss and international market, and develop marketing tools with a designer company.
VAY: Human Motion Analysis
Computer Vision is a technology too new and too hard to grasp for most businesses to get their fingers burned on. At the same time, a lot of people realise that it is out there and start thinking of possible applications. VAY co-founders - Joel Roos, CEO and Master in Robotics ETH, Patrizio Bonzani, CTO, Master in Computer Science ETH, and Ben Simon, COO, Master in Accounting & Finance HSG - are working solely on their core technology, computer vision Motion Analysis. Their service provides the most precise and reliable hardware-independent motion analysis algorithms based on human pose estimation. Their solution works with any camera and creates a computer model of the human body in real-time. The team has created an automated analysis of any metrics and can provide the relevant ones to their customers. As they see hundreds if not thousands of applications emerging over the next 5 years, they want to become the main enabler of those applications. By serving their technology as B2B Software Licensing to their clients in the sports and healthcare market, they pursue their goal to democratize professional motion analysis and facilitate prevention, diagnosis, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders. The Venture Kick funding is used to launch a case study with physiotherapists and movement scientists to create an automated physical assessment training program with individual prevention recommendations based on the results.