Closing presentation at the German Embassy Paris, 24 September 2025 German-French Lighthouse Project GreenBotAI: Trustworthy AI “Made in Europe”

The Franco-German AI funding is part of a long-term strategy: since the Aachen Treaty in 2019, both countries have intensified their cooperation in this area. Specifically, the collaboration between the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the French Ministry of Economy and Digital Sovereignty is aimed at strengthening European competitiveness, advancing green and digital technologies, and securing technological leadership. This also applies to GreenBotAI, which makes robotic automation more robust. The four partners Fraunhofer IWU, Munich University of Applied Sciences, INBOLT SAS, and ENSAM LISPEN presented on 24 September at the German Embassy in Paris the results from three years of intensive project work.

GreenBotAI was selected under the Franco-German call for proposals “Innovation Projects on Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Risk Prevention, Crisis Management and Resilience.” A total of five projects were funded with a total volume of around €17.9 million, with the aim of strengthening crisis resilience through AI – not least in the areas of sustainability and supply chains. As early as 2020, with reference to the Aachen Treaty, funding lines to support scientific and industrial collaborations were formulated, intended to contribute to European technological sovereignty.

GreenBotAI reduces the energy consumption of robots by over 25 percent

Smaller lot sizes, more complex production lines, increasing competitive pressure, unstable supply chains: In this context, GreenBotAI tackled robotics. Technically, GreenBotAI focused on the reaction and latency times of industrial robots, on optimized path planning, and on the execution of certain tasks even while the robot is moving.

The developed algorithms enable industrial users to carry out tasks such as fast on-the-fly bin picking, tracking, assembly and quality control without deep robotics expertise. Modular machine-learning models were developed and evaluated in tailored simulation environments with synthetic data, enabling robust AI-driven 2D and 3D tracking in combination with force-moment control. Real-time communication via the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and a modular architecture ensure seamless data exchange and adaptability across a wide range of robotic systems.

Reducing energy consumption without exchanging robots

GreenBotAI worked on several levers to reduce energy consumption by more than 25 percent. This includes, besides data-reduced AI models and accelerated grasping tasks, a reduced computing power.

The project partners

Fraunhofer IWU was the consortium leader in GreenBotAI. With around 670 highly qualified employees, it is represented at the sites Chemnitz, Cottbus, Dresden, Leipzig, Wolfsburg and Zittau. The focus of science and contract research is components, processes and procedures as well as the associated complex machine systems and the interaction with humans – the whole factory. Leading the GreenBotAI project was the Process Digitalization and Manufacturing Automation division, with particular expertise in testing technology, automation and artificial intelligence.

Munich University of Applied Sciences (HM) has around 500 professors, 750 lecturers and 18,000 students, making it one of the largest universities in Germany. In the areas of technology, economics, social sciences and design, it offers 85 bachelor and master programs.

Excellent networked at the Munich business location, it maintains close ties to industry and is involved in applied teaching and research.

As an EXIST founder university, Munich University of Applied Sciences equips its students with professional skills as well as entrepreneurial and sustainable thinking and action. Trained in interdisciplinary work and intercultural thinking, its graduates are prepared for a digital and internationally connected working world. In rankings, they are among the most sought-after by employers across Germany.

INBOLT SAS is a Paris-based deep-tech startup that specializes in the development of real-time robotics command systems based on 3D vision and artificial intelligence (AI). The company was founded in 2019 and aims to simplify automation in industrial production. It offers software solutions that are compatible with common 3D cameras and robots.

The École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) is a renowned French engineering school. The Laboratory of Engineering of Physical and Digital Systems (LISPEN) is a research laboratory of ENSAM that focuses on the interface of physical and digital systems. The lab conducts research on the analysis, simulation and control of complex dynamic systems, particularly in the areas of robotics, industrial robotics and automotive engineering.

Closing event on 24 September at the German Embassy Paris

The project partners presented the GreenBotAI results to around 50 invited guests, including representatives from French ministries, GTAI (German Trade and Invest) and the UPHF University. KUKA, Schunk, Nikon SLM, Dassault Systèmes, Capgemini, Draft’n run, Multiverse Computing, DLR Projektträger and Helm & Walter IT Solutions enriched the event with talks on robotics and AI.

The project partners thank the German Embassy Paris for providing their premises, in particular the Chargé d’Affaires Frau Gudrun Lingner for the opening remarks, as well as Frau Stefanie Stegemann and her team for the active organizational support at the closing event of GreenBotAI.