The results of the robotics sector at ExpoElectronica 2024

We are pleased to offer insights from the industry`s foremost experts on the evolution of the Robotics sector and updates from the exhibition

From 16 to 18 April, the largest international electronics exhibition in Russia and the EAEU in terms of the number of exhibitors and visitors, ExpoElectronica, was held at Crocus Expo IEC. The event provided a business platform for 760 companies that presented the entire production chain—from component manufacturing to the development and assembly of final electronic systems—at their stands. During the three days of the exhibition, particular emphasis was placed on the advancement of robotics in Russia.

ExpoElectronica has once again hosted an exhibition showcasing the latest developments in robotics. The event, which was organized in collaboration with the Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems Consortium, saw participants and partners presenting a range of domestic robotics solutions across various sectors, including industrial robotics, microelectronics, vision, UAVs, underwater and educational robotics.

The collective stand featured 23 exhibitors, including the Consortium of Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems, as well as NPO Android Technology JSC, Innodrive LLC, Neurotechnology LLC, Fringe New Technologies, Scientific Entertainment, Technored, Unique Robots, Sber Robotics Lab, NIIMA Progress JSC, Pozitron-Energo LLC, and other companies. As well as 2 companies from China Hangzhou Robot Phoenix and Quanai Technology.

InnoDrive presented a range of integrated precision servo drives for high-precision positioning tasks, including the Harza drive, which is available in versions comprising one, two or three power modules, as well as compact servo drives and servo controllers.

Neurotechnology showcased a tracker for monitoring bodily functions and identifying crisis biomarkers, while Fringe New Technologies and Scientific Entertainment presented an open architecture constructor based on AVR, ARM-M and ARM-A microcontrollers, as well as kits for acquiring skills in working with analogue and digital electronics and the Smart Hydroponics robotic complex.

Sber Robotics Lab: "At our stand we represent the Sber Robotics Centre. We are delighted to present the B1 robot dog, which is based on a Chinese design but has been adapted to include a domestically-developed control system and software. Its stand-out features are the automation and neural networks which enable highly accurate navigation. We also have a shuttle storage system, developed and manufactured in Russia. This is a turnkey solution, including both the system and the shuttle”.

NPO Android Technics JSC presented an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) of the airplane type. This UAS is capable of remaining airborne for an extended period in autonomous mode within a designated area, carrying payloads and delivering them to a specified point in accordance with coordinates confirmed by the operator. The company's representatives cite the UAS 80's key advantages as its low cost, straightforward operation, ability to accommodate a diverse range of payloads, convenient transportation, high payload capacity and flight duration, as well as the ability to simultaneously control over five UASs with alternate launches along a given route.

Robotphoenix presented its research and development in the field of industrial robots, control systems, vision systems and intelligent manufacturing solutions. The company's stand featured a wide range of industrial robots and key components for light industry, including SCARA robots, six-axis robots, AGVs, wafer processing solutions and other products.

During the three-day exhibition, industry representatives engaged in discussions on the prospects, goals and objectives of microelectronics and robotics. These discussions took place in the form of round tables, analytical and strategic sessions.

One of the most significant business events of the inaugural day of ExpoElectronica 2024 was the plenary session, "Robotics in Russia 2030". Sber Robotics Lab had the privilege of partnering with the Robotics Sector business programme. The session was moderated by Evgeny Dudorov, Chairman of the Board of the Consortium of Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems, and Executive Director of NPO Android Technology JSC.

Artem Sheikin, Member of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Construction: "It is necessary to promote the development of the robotics industry and support serial production of robotic complexes. The agenda of Russia's technological sovereignty, from medicine and pharmaceuticals to the aviation, shipbuilding, and electronics industries, should take centre stage. It is extremely important to introduce robots, and the state is not on the sidelines. There is already cost compensation and favourable lending for projects. The Russian government has also proposed to introduce new national projects, including the development of unmanned aviation, microelectronics, and projects to create robotics development centres in three federal districts".

Evgeny Dudorov highlighted a notable shift in the perception of Russian robotics, which he identified as a key area of growth for the country. He emphasized the importance of aligning with the government's vision and leveraging their support to disseminate information to customers and consumers. Dudorov expressed gratitude for the ongoing support of the robotics industry.

Evgeny Dudorov also demonstrated the study "Radar of influence of new technologies and trends for 2024". At the end, the speaker voiced the conclusion: all technologies are tied to robotics. "It is important to understand what we can do to make technologies sovereign or at least come from friendly countries."

Among the top 5 key trends in robotics today were highlighted:

• application of AI and machine learning
• mobile robotics
• digital twins
• humanoid robots
• cobots.

Ilya Sidorov, Deputy Director General of the Foundation for Advanced Research, added at the event that starting this year, the operational work area of the Foundation will be opened with the aim of creating specific demos. As for the prospects, according to the speaker, typical functions will be increasingly replaced by AI, and solutions will be scaled up, which the ExpoElectronica 2024 exhibition platform facilitates.

In addition, the experts pointed out that in conditions of limited resources, industry participants need to communicate within the framework of a new model. Public-private partnership should be revitalized and clear KPIs should be set in the Russian management model.

Anton Podkuiko, ANO Agency for Technological Development: "Today the Agency supports about 200 projects. At the end of 2023, we saw that not all industries require a unified approach, so we plan to gradually move to industry standards. We need to create favorable conditions for robotics and microelectronics".

Dinh Tan Hung, a representative of Hanoi University, said: "There is a global development boom in robotics now. It is developing everywhere, but with the specifics of each country. Vietnam applies robotics primarily in dangerous and difficult jobs for humans. There are different directions of robotics development. Russia and the US, for example, have big investments, so you can develop big robots. We, as a country that developed later and slower, develop small robots. We are following a different path, looking for a different development principle and gradually reaching to meet the needs of our markets. I hope that our products will participate in the next exhibition."

An important event of Roboarena was the round table "Consortium of Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems: main directions of development and co-operation". The moderator was Viktor Tolmachev, Director of the Consortium. He noted: "The Consortium is already 3 years old. During this time we have come a long way. There are already more than forty participants in the Consortium, and among the partners there are Roscosmos, Ministry of Industry and Trade and others. The goal of the Consortium is to form and develop the Russian robotics market of intelligent control systems".

Yakov Ermoshkin, Executive Director of the Young Industrialists Club, spoke about the club's work. This is an association of owners and managers of industrial enterprises up to 40 years old, uniting 117 manufacturing companies from 43 regions. The Board of Trustees is headed by Denis Manturov, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

Dmitry Kornachev, Executive Director of Autoelectronica, a consortium of enterprises in the field of automotive electronic devices and telematics: "The topic of my report is related to the way auto electronics is developing. The first area is automated transport. In 2022-2023, we have gone through a significant cycle from the complete loss of Western electronics to the recovery of production potential. Today we have all the important components replaced. Now we are moving from the emergency stage to development. If earlier the Russian car market was uncontrollable, now the market is divided roughly in half between Russia and China. We are moving from the fantasy of introducing drones to practice. Demand for microelectronics in the automotive sector will grow sevenfold by 2030".

The speaker also added that even today Russian manufacturers consume electronic components worth almost 35 billion rubles a year. All this is transport with a low degree of automation. Automated transport, even taking into account economies of scale, requires 5 times more microelectronics. "This growth will support us in the period from 2030 to 2050," the expert concluded.

At the round table "Financial tools to support projects and developments in the field of robotics", experts considered support measures for developers and manufacturers of new technologies. Robotisation of industry is one of the key drivers of development of the robotics industry as a whole. The demand for industrial automation is constantly growing. For Russia, this trend is particularly relevant due to the shortage of personnel and the decreasing percentage of able-bodied population.

On the final day of the exhibition, the conference programme was just as insightful. Anthropomorphic robotics as one of the fastest growing segments of the "iron" market was the topic of the presentation session "Biomorphic Robots". The participants of the event spoke about existing androids, as well as the challenges of developing individual body parts of such robots. In addition, they paid attention to the preservation of workers' health.

One of the key events of the third day at Roboarena was the round table "Flying Robotics - Key Trends in Unmanned Aerial Systems Industry".

Oleg Ruzsky, ANO Federal Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems, shared aspects of the Rudnevo Industrial Park and the company's targets.

According to the speaker, four residents were launched last year, two residents - this year. The expert also described the structure of the Federal Centre "BAS", which implies the presence and operation of a collective use centre, a laboratory and research centre and a flight test facility.

Roman Naumov, Geoscan Group of Companies, was among the speakers at the event: "The thesis of our company is that the end user should not be an expert in the field of aviation, which we are successfully achieving. From 2017 to today, more than 10 thousand units of our complexes are already working in the educational environment, and the world technological records include aerial photography of the Tula region, 3D model of Palmyra, magnetic survey in Siberia".

The rationality of using artificial intelligence was discussed at the discussion battle "AI and Robotics - Myths and Reality". We share brief theses of the experts:

• Today, technology is demonstrating successful imitation of human physical and cognitive abilities
• Robots and AI in many industries are already effective tools designed to make human labor easier and are pushing technological progress forward
• AI is important to master, but it is important to monitor and double-check its performance and results
• AI helps automate processes, it doesn't need to "reach" for the emotions that humans have as it has other tasks to do
• As a problem, experts highlighted the difficulty of algorithmically describing the device and software, which already requires new approaches. These tasks are much more efficiently solved by AI.

We are glad to invite your company to join Robotics sector at ExpoElectronica 2025, 15-17 April 2025, in Moscow.

The Robotics exposition at ExpoElectronica 2025 will gather 30+ leading Russian robotics research and manufacturing companies. International companies are welcome to explore the Russian market and opportunities to develop the business. Our industrial partner is Russian Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems Consortium.