AI meets Robotics –
Physical AI as a Gamechanger for SMEs

Denis Häußler is Lead Consultant and Head of Industry Solutions at GFT Technologies in Stuttgart. He has been advising industrial clients for more than 20 years, supporting them in the design and implementation of technology projects.

Korbinian Weiß is R&D Manager for Robotics and Machine Vision at TRUMPF, where he leads the scouting and predevelopment of innovative robotics and machine vision technologies. TRUMPF’s robotics strategy is to build adaptive, software-defined robotics for sheet metal cutting, welding and bending workflows. AI in perception and motion planning shift complexity into software, reducing programming effort and enabling true high mix low volume up to batch size one.

Dr. Martin May has been with SCHUNK since 2016, initially as head of the cyber-physical systems department, where he drove forward the company's digital transformation and further developed intelligent robot systems through machine learning (2D Grasping Kit). He is currently Director of Innovation for SCHUNK at IPAI Heilbronn, where he develops forward-looking digital products and industrial foundation models that respond to the changing requirements of industry.

As research coordinator at ARENA2036 and research strategist for innovation and future technologies, I coordinate science, engineering, and future-oriented transformation. With a double doctorate (Dr./Dr.-Ing.) from the University of Stuttgart and Swinburne University, I combine mechanical engineering, simulation technology, and intelligent systems. This enables me to translate complex research results into scalable industrial solutions. My current focus is on integrating classical AI, AutoML, and quantum machine learning (QML) into real production environments. From CAE and robotics to digital twins and automation, I develop model-based designs and explainable frameworks that advance the vision of Industry 5.0 and support predictive control, process optimization, and intelligent, sustainable production in industries such as automotive, smart factories, and advanced composites. At the same time, I am actively committed to responsible innovation by aligning AI advances with new ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks such as the EU AI Act. In this way, I ensure transparent, traceable, and user-centered technology deployment in industrial ecosystems.

Dr. Stefan Dörr is CEO and co-founder of NODE Robotics. He is responsible for strategic direction and product and technology development in the field of autonomous mobile robotics. Previously, he led software teams at Fraunhofer IPA with a focus on navigation, autonomous systems, and industrial robotics applications.

Marco Schuldt is a Senior Government Director at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), where he heads Division IVA3 “Digitalisation, Industry 4.0.” He serves as the national and European coordinator for the 8ra initiative, as well as for the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) in Artificial Intelligence (IPCEI-AI) and Cloud Infrastructure and Services (IPCEI-CIS).

Rafiq Iqbal has more than 30 years of experience in industrial robotics and is the winner of the 2016 Federal Innovation Award.
He has led AI-based smart factory solutions in automotive and mechanical engineering from strategy to industrial scaling. He now contributes his expertise in digital twins, end-to-end manufacturing transformation, and value realization as a member of the advisory board at Evasive Robotics.