Making Better Robots-Austria's contribution to the European Robotics Research Roadmap

With the program Horizon 2020 the European commission has the largest civilian research program worldwide. Robotics and the closely related field information and communication technology (ICT) form core areas of the program. The optimal representation of this topic is immensely important for the social and economic development in Europe within the program is the mission of the public-private partnership euRobotics. This organization acts as an interface between the European commission, researcher, industry and end-user in the area of robotics. In order to lift the market potential of robotics and to identify the related research and development questions a Robotics Strategic Research Agenda for Europe for the year 2014-2020 was developed. In this article we present Austrian research institutions and projects that already work on the realization of that roadmap. Moreover, we will pinpoint areas where Austria has a need for research and development. This assessment will be integrated in the development of an Austrian Robotics Research Roadmap. This roadmap will be developed by the robotics working group within society for measurement, automation and robot technology (GMAR) and should serve research, industry and public stakeholder as a guideline to stimulate and extend the potential of robotics in Austria.