HERMES

Technological evolution and the digitization of processes currently enable the implementation of remote solutions that enhance the speed, efficiency, and profitability of assistance and equipment maintenance tasks in Industry 4.0.

HERMES is a solution based on augmented reality and collaborative robots that allows for the remote installation of industrial equipment. The interaction between expert personnel and local operators, even if they are in different locations or at distances of thousands of kilometres, allows coordination between both parties to make the final adjustments and complete the installation of equipment, as well as its subsequent maintenance.

The HERMES project enables expert personnel to remotely control, monitor, and validate a robotic system designed for the calibration of a preventive railway maintenance equipment in an intuitive manner. One of the greatest advantages of this development, in addition to quicker response times, is the cost reduction benefits by avoiding unnecessary travel, offering an efficient remote solution for tasks related to both initial equipment installation and proper maintenance over time.

The collaborative efforts of Robotnik, VISIONA, Fivecomm, Metro Ligero Oeste as end user, and Secpho as the coordinating partner, aim to enhance existing remote assistance approaches for such operations (video conferencing, augmented reality glasses, message sharing, files, annotations, etc.). These have a limited scope as many tasks require equipment-specific knowledge that cannot be conveyed through audio or text, and precision in operations that cannot be achieved without prior training. Hence, the inclusion of a robotic system that can be remotely operated by an expert opens up new possibilities for verification and actions to be carried out.

The project has received funding from the Next Generation EU funds through the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, as part of the Innovative Business Clusters support program, which aims to digitize the industry.

Robotnik has developed a versatile mechatronics system that enables the assembly of Universal Robots’ UR5e and UR10e arms to remotely assist in rail track calibration and alignment tasks.
Combining this technology with augmented reality glasses and broadband networks allows new applications and ways of managing the user interface to be explored, enabling new forms of telepresence in the future.
During the development of HERMES, Robotnik has also participated in the definition of the architecture and the development of the ROS/ROS2 controller, the communication and user interface of the collaborative manipulator and the programming necessary for the safe telecontrol of the robot arm, as well as collaborating in the testing and validation of this concept at laboratory level and in a real installation.