GMV participates in green algorithms webinar, to promote the use of AI and robotics for more sustainable industrial inspections

As part of Spain’s National Green Algorithms Program (PNAV), GMV has taken part in the webinar entitled “AI and Robotics: Revolutionizing Industrial Inspection in a Sustainable Way”. This event was focused on discussing the ways in which joint application of robotics and artificial intelligence is transforming inspection processes in critical industrial environments, with the aim of making industry more resilient and responsible.

The webinar was presented by Ángel C. Lázaro, Head of Robotics and Automation for GMV’s Industry sector, who analyzed some of the main challenges facing industry today. These include a high number of incidents caused by human error, which accounts for 48.8% of operational deviations; safety and environmental risks derived from manual inspections, where there is a 68% probability of overlooking critical failures; and loss of reliability for inspection quality, caused by the accumulated fatigue of human operators.

In this context, GMV presented its technological approach that brings together AI and robotics, as a solution for increasing sustainability and operational efficiency. It was emphasized during the webinar that the use of AI makes it possible to optimize processes and reduce energy consumption during repetitive tasks, and that using autonomous robotics for hazardous tasks can improve safety conditions and reduce workplace accidents. Evidence was also presented showing that incorporation of machine vision and intelligent analysis systems helps reduce defects in quality control processes by up to 90%, while minimizing waste and improving data traceability.

The webinar also included discussion of some real cases of technological applications, in strategic areas such as the energy, oil and gas, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. One of these case studies featured the use of autonomous robots for inspecting electrical substations, which has reduced inspection times and allowed full digitalization of the data obtained. The ATEX solutions developed for refineries were also discussed, with a focus on their ability to completely eliminate human exposure and provide consistent, traceable measurements. In relation to renewable energies, the cases discussed included robotic inspection systems for solar power plants, which are able to monitor individual photovoltaic panels, optimizing the use of human resources and improving operational performance.

All of the projects described above have been made possible thanks to the use of uPathWay, a hardware-agnostic, AI-powered solution for managing robotic fleets. This platform allows integration and coordination of different types of mobile robots in complex industrial environments, in order to optimize inspection routes, automate critical tasks, and facilitate data collection and analysis, all in a safe, autonomous, and scalable way. In addition to inspection tasks, the webinar also discussed other applications of this technology in relation to industries such as agrifood, logistics, and road maintenance.

As part of this innovation approach, GMV also highlighted its commitment to incorporating quantum technologies for robotic optimization, such as the use of algorithms inspired by quantum computing for hyperparameter tuning, and implementation of tensor networks. This combination of technologies is offering new ways of improving the performance and efficiency of autonomous systems, while enhancing their ability to operate in complex and dynamic scenarios.

The webinar concluded with some comments regarding the need to incorporate these technologies not only for technical or economic reasons, but also as part of a responsible industrial strategy, aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the goal of achieving more sustainable production processes.