ROBOCAT is an industrial research project aimed at addressing population aging and the lack of resources within the care system through the development of assistive robotics solutions. These solutions focus on both the elderly and their caregivers, with the primary objective of improving autonomy, well-being, and quality of life in home and residential environments.
The project proposes the design of a modular and interoperable robotic platform, capable of adapting to various care needs through the integration of specific sensors, applications, and modules. This platform is complemented by a digital infrastructure that enables robot management, teleoperation, activity logging, and service personalization.
Within the framework of the ROBOCAT project, i2CAT’s Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI) research group is collaborating on the technical integration of smart home components. The team is focused on deploying sensors under interoperability standards (Matter) and managing information through a local controller. i2CAT’s work facilitates data communication between the sensors, the robot, and the platform, leveraging its expertise in protocols to strengthen the project’s ambient intelligence ecosystem.
ROBOCAT transversally incorporates ethical and regulatory principles, placing special emphasis on AI explainability, the transparency of robotic decisions, and the protection of personal data, in alignment with the AI Act and the GDPR. Additionally, it promotes co-design with end-users, caregivers, and professionals to guarantee useful and socially accepted solutions.
Ultimately, the project seeks to strengthen the Catalan innovation ecosystem in assistive robotics by fostering collaboration between research centers, technology companies, and social entities. ROBOCAT generates knowledge, prototypes, and methodologies that lay the groundwork for future developments, market transfers, and public policies in the field of care.
The ROBOCAT project consortium, coordinated by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, is composed of—among others—companies such as YASYT Robotics S.L. and Advanced Algorithms S.L.; research centers like i2CAT and the Centre Superior d’Investigacions Científiques (CSIC); healthcare entities like the Consorci Sanitari de terrassa and the Parc Sanitari Pere Virgili; and social entities such as the Associació per a la Vida Independent and Associació Clúster de Salut Mental de Catalunya.
The project is part of the Intelligent Digital Health sub-project of the RETECH program, within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, funded by the European Next Generation EU funds.
