Autonomous and integrated cognition for robots in dynamic and variable scenarios

The COGNITIUM project develops an advanced cognitive robotic system based on the TIAGo PRO platform, designed to operate autonomously in semi-structured and highly variable environments. The project, carried out by the Robotics and Automation unit of Eurecat together with PAL Robotics, aims to progress from technology readiness levels (TRL) 3–4 up to TRL 5, with a functional demonstration in a relevant environment.

COGNITIUM integrates state-of-the-art advances in cognitive robotics, intelligent manipulation and generative artificial intelligence, combining perception, semantic understanding and autonomous action execution. The project adopts a hybrid architecture that integrates vision-language models (VLMs) with vision-language-action models (VLAs), leveraging the potential of multimodal foundation models to improve generalisation and operational flexibility in complex environments.

The system’s validation use case focuses on the hospitality sector, specifically on tasks related to preparing and cleaning hotel rooms. This environment, characterised by high spatial and semantic variability, resembles the domestic domain but features more repetitive and scalable patterns. It enables the demonstration of cognitive robotic systems in human-interaction scenarios, overcoming current limitations in flexibility and autonomy.

Additionally, COGNITIUM paves the way for real market applications, as the systems developed can optimise low value-added tasks, such as making beds or refilling welcome items, enabling human staff to focus on customer care and higher value activities. This approach serves as a catalyst for the progressive adoption of cognitive robotics in public and commercial environments, with potential scalability towards domestic or personal-care applications.

General data

Project

COGNITIUM – Generalized and Integrated Cognition for Robots in Unpredictable and Multimodal Environments

Project reference

SDC007/25/000196

Programme and call

Project funded by the RETECH programme (Territorial Networks for Technological Specialisation), an interregional cooperation initiative promoted by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service and the State Secretariat for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence of the national government, aimed at fostering digital transformation and the development of technological ecosystems.

Related SGDs

The project indirectly contributes to healthier environments for both hotel guests and staff. The consistent and precise robotic execution of cleaning and tidying tasks by the TIAGO PRO can lead to improved cleaning standards. Moreover, by automating physically demanding tasks, the robot can reduce work-related strain for hotel staff, particularly in roles such as room cleaning. The project documentation explicitly states that the system aims to “reduce resource consumption and minimize human errors” in tasks such as cleaning.

A central social objective of the project is “to alleviate repetitive and physically demanding tasks, improving people’s quality of life and enabling them to focus on higher value-added activities.” This can transform jobs in the hospitality sector, leading to the enhancement of existing workforce skills. New roles may emerge in areas such as robot fleet supervision, system maintenance, and improved customer experience management, requiring a blend of technical and interpersonal skills. The project also stimulates innovation and economic growth within the high-tech robotics sector in Catalonia, a region with a thriving AI and robotics ecosystem.

The project directly contributes to the development of resilient infrastructures in the form of advanced robotic systems. It fosters innovation in AI and robotics, which are recognized as key European industrial strengths. As highlighted, the initiative is expected to generate “new job opportunities in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics.”

The deployment of efficient and technologically advanced service infrastructures within hotels contributes to the development of smarter and more sustainable urban tourist environments. Optimized resource use in large-scale hotel operations can have a cumulative positive impact on urban sustainability.

The project proposal states that “the system’s ability to handle unknown objects and understand contexts enables resource optimization and error minimization, thereby reducing energy and material consumption.” In a hotel context, this translates into precise execution of tasks such as cleaning or restocking amenities by the TIAGO PRO, which could significantly reduce the waste of cleaning products, water, or guest items, promoting more responsible consumption patterns.