RoboAI research and development center continues to strengthen

Tiina’s expertise strengthens the team’s perspective on network management and commercialization of innovations. She has strong experience from Pori Unit of the Turku School of Economics on various research and development projects.

RoboAI has been around for a little over three years and the growth has been huge. The number of researchers working at RoboAI today is 60, compared to 30 three years ago. Research has a long tradition at both SAMK and the University of Tampere, and the future looks very interesting. The latest applications and artificial intelligence in robotics are widely used to promote trade, industrial production and well-being. Harnessing technology to develop well-being and health has been particularly popular. This research entity has been named RoboAI Health. Tiina Mäkitalo, Research Manager, is responsible for developing the research unit.

At the heart of the Health research unit is cross-sectoral collaboration and user involvement in development work. At Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, these principles apply e.g. to The hospital of the future as an innovation platform, Digihealth, Diginepsy, TEKOS and the Satakunta Testbed projects, all of which enable technology experiments in social and healthcare environments. In addition to technology experts, there are experts in the field of well-being and health, as well as business and service design.

Strong experience in research and development

Tiina started as RoboAI Health’s research manager in early November. Prior to that, she worked for more than ten years at the Pori Unit of the Turku School of Economics on various research and development projects, which were carried out in close cooperation with companies and other research partners. Tiina’s expertise strengthens the team’s perspective on network management and commercialization of innovations. Although Tiina is a new SAMK employee, she has a long history with WANDER researchers in developing the concept of indoor hygiene, from the researchers’ vision to the export of products and solutions.

– When operating in multidisciplinary networks, it is important that each actor understands his/her own place as part of common value creation – what know-how I can bring to the entity and what I reciprocate, Tiina says. Different actors may have very different wishes, requirements and competencies, which are then discussed in order to find a mutual ambition and goal.

– In all its simplicity, co-creation is purposeful co-operation between people, but it is often easier to get started when a so-called neutral research body facilitates the action, she continues.

Satakunta’s technology metal cluster is prospering!

Electrified transport in particular is increasing the need for materials to be used in the manufacture of batteries. An important part of the raw material flow consists of the delivery coming through recycling. RoboAI will increase expertise and focus research to support this development. The focus of the research is on the development of methods for the identification and separation of recycled materials. The co-operation is carried out with Prizztech, supported by the Regional Council of Satakunta, and is represented under the RoboAI Green brand.