WLRI – Work-Life Robotics Institute

Welcome to the WLRI

We develop solutions in which people and technology work hand in hand. We research and implement robotics applications that are cost-effective and can be directly applied in real-world settings. Our areas of focus: industrial and collaborative robotics, additively manufactured components, and care robotics.

Research Focuses RobotHub Further Information

Research Focuses

Collaborative Robotics

Collaborative robotics refers to the development and use of robots that can safely interact with humans without physical separation by protective fencing or barriers.

Applied Industrial Robotics

Applied industrial robotics describes the use of robots in industrial manufacturing and production. Here, robots are used to automate and optimize production processes in order to increase efficiency and quality.

Additively Manufactured Components in Robotics

This area deals with the application of additive manufacturing processes (3D printing) in robotics.

Machine Safety and Approval of Robotics Applications

This area focuses on the safety of robotic systems and compliance with regulatory requirements and standards. The safety of robots plays a crucial role, especially when they work in close proximity to humans.

Assisted Living and Care Robotics

Assisted living and care robotics refer to the field of robotics that focuses on the use of robots and automated systems in the care of elderly people or people in need of assistance. These robotics applications are designed to support the daily lives of those receiving care.

Shop Floor Simulation

Shopfloor simulation is an important tool in the robotics industry to analyze and optimize the behavior of robotic systems and production processes in a virtual environment before they are implemented in real manufacturing.

Lean Robotics

Lean Robotics is a concept that focuses on the application of lean principles in robotics. The goal is to improve the efficiency and flexibility of robotic systems.

Insights into Our Research

Developing new methods. Optimizing processes. Driving innovation. At the WLRI, we seek answers to research questions. Our project registry lists all the projects we’re carrying out in collaboration with partners from academia and industry. There, you can search for all ongoing and completed projects since 2014. You can find the latest milestones and breakthroughs in our daily work under Insights.

Projects Insights

Robot Hub Projects

The Monitoring Committee of the EU Interreg Upper Rhine program has approved two cross-border projects in which the Work-Life Robotics Institute (WLRI) at Hochschule Offenburg is involved.

The Robot Hub Academy project will train future robotics experts in the Upper Rhine region, with a focus on cross-border courses, the establishment of a doctoral network and a robot driver's license. The WLRI plans to open up robotics lectures to students from France and Switzerland, as well as to develop courses for doctoral students and a doctoral network.

In the Robot Hub Transfer project, the WLRI supports small and medium-sized companies in the Upper Rhine region in the automation of processes with robots. The offer includes on-site as-is analyses, development of solution concepts and risk assessments.