Technical Synergy and Future Directions: Highlights from the 4th ARISE General Assembly

The ARISE 4th General Assembly took place on February 5th and 6th, 2026, at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) in Thessaloniki, Greece. Hosted by CERTH and led by project coordinators, the meeting gathered representatives from across the consortium, to evaluate technical milestones and plan upcoming activities. 

The first day focused on the integration of hardware and sophisticated human-robot interaction. Partners reviewed progress on high-fidelity digital twins from CEA and intuitive robot teaching representations and motion planning from TUDa, while UESS presented developments in automatic memory generation from human demonstrations. Significant hardware updates were provided by HMU regarding soft pneumatic actuators and hybrid robotic manipulators, complemented by SSSA’s work on variable stiffness modules and grippers, and PRO’s mobile base and sensor integration.

The second day shifted toward perception, navigation, and administrative oversight. Technical presentations from CERTH covered active perception, 3D scene reconstruction, semantic mapping, and safe path planning, while UESS detailed the Edge-AI platform development. A central highlight of the day was a site visit to the CERTH laboratory and PV park, allowing partners to view the testing environments in person. The assembly concluded with sessions on dissemination, ethics, and exploitation planning led by THL, SSSA, and ALS, followed by administrative reviews of risk management and data quality. 

The successful completion of this General Assembly marks a pivotal point in the project’s timeline, reinforcing the collaboration between international partners and ensuring that all technical and administrative work packages remain on track. By synchronizing the latest advancements in AI and robotics, the consortium has established a clear roadmap for the next phase of development, moving closer to realizing the project’s vision for autonomous task performance.