The year 2024 has been an exciting and transformative one for Probot Oy, filled with new opportunities and remarkable achievements. Despite the challenges of the early year, projects have picked up steam as autumn progressed. Now is the perfect time to reflect on this year’s highlights and eagerly look ahead to 2025!
Full Speed Ahead!
While the global recession managed to catch up with us, we’ve been moving at a rapid pace. In the spring, several customers hit the brakes on their projects, leading to temporary layoffs on our end. By summer’s end, the gears were well-oiled, the machines were back up and running, and projects were advancing at a faster pace than ever! Both existing and new industrial clients have kept us on our toes, with some absolutely groundbreaking projects wrapping up and others just getting started.
– I’m grateful for the trust our team showed during the challenges of spring. It’s through collaboration that we’re building Probot stronger year after year, says our CEO, Matti Tikanmäki.
One of the most significant accomplishments this year was our robotic cell that tackled a customer’s RFID tag handling challenges. This compact solution automates the entire process, from tag inspection to coding and laser marking. An intelligent packaging system, operating based on order numbers, allows for automated processing of multiple orders sequentially. This has greatly boosted our customer’s production efficiency and reduced manual workload.
– We focused heavily on tailored mechanical design and safety. The user interface was made highly intuitive, and the customer has been extremely satisfied with the result, explains our expert, Janne Paaso, with a smile.
Curious? Check out more details and a video of the robotic cell in action on our references page!
Accessible Experts
Our expertise has been widely recognized. Our team members have traveled across Finland and even ventured into Europe, spreading the word of probotics far and wide. We’ve participated in all sorts of events, from Leipurifest (Bakers’ Festivals) and Metsätaimitarhapäivät (Forest Seedling Days) to the European Robotics Forum in Rimini, Italy. These experiences have fostered fantastic encounters and mutual knowledge sharing.
One of the most meaningful events this year was our participation in the Retina Day seminar in September. There, Matti shared insights on the future of AI and robotics with individuals affected by hereditary retinal dystrophy and their families.
– The participants’ ability to embrace and utilize new technology was truly impressive. It was an important reminder of how essential it is to ensure technology accessibility in all development work, Matti emphasizes.
Mobile Robotics: The Talk of the Town
This year has particularly been the year of mobile robotics. Interest in its opportunities and benefits has been immense. Our experts have engaged in countless discussions about potential applications, and our Dolly™ mobile robot, launched last year, has been at the forefront.
In September, we headed to Berlin for the world’s largest consumer electronics and home appliances event, IFA Berlin 2024. We showcased the latest version of Dolly™, which takes a significant step toward more sustainable robotics. Dolly’s curly birch coverings earned plenty of well-deserved admiration.
– Beyond the attention Dolly received, there was a lot of interest in our expertise. We were frequently approached about potential collaborations and development projects, says our Sales Manager, Maria Ruottinen.
At the trade fair, we also announced our strategic partnership with Rollyy. The goal of this collaboration is to revolutionize electric vehicle charging using mobile robotics. We’re leading the design and production of the charging robots’ platform. You can read more about this exciting project on our blog!
– This project addresses how to make EV charging truly flexible and user-friendly. It’s also a great example of how Finnish technological know-how can solve global challenges, says Matti.
Strong Partnerships
A major milestone this year was being selected as Preferred Partner by Ginolis for designing robotic solutions. The selection followed a rigorous process where our expertise and ability to deliver tailored robotic solutions for unique customer needs set us apart.
Our partnerships with long-term collaborators OMRON, KUKA, Kinova Robotics, and Cajo Technologies also remain strong. Additionally, we continue to serve as a distributor for Unitree Robotics. Whether you need a house-trained robotic dog for companionship or a humanoid robot to handle the jogging for you, we’ve got you covered!
Innovations for Agriculture and Sustainability
One of the year’s highlights was our Field Robot being selected as one of three finalists in the Agri-INNO 2024 innovation competition. The contest sought forward-thinking solutions that can truly transform the agricultural sector, with criteria such as productivity, sustainability, and international potential.
– The significant attention and positive feedback we received from the event encourage us to take our ideas for the agricultural sector even further. There’s plenty of work to be done in this field, summarizes Matti.
Our Field Robot, which revolutionizes the measurement of crop trial plots, was developed as part of a now-completed EU project, with Yield Systems providing the expertise for yield estimation.
We’re also actively building a more sustainable future through EU projects. In the Agrarsense project, we’re developing mobile robotics-based greenhouse automation and logistics to reduce environmental impact. We’re currently working on visualization and task management software for a multi-robot system.
Meanwhile, the Recirculate project focuses on optimizing the lifecycle of electric vehicle batteries through automation, remote-controlled robotics, and sensor technology. Next year, we’ll kick off the construction of an industrial demonstration. Check out more about our EU projects here!
Photo: Messukeskus / Maatalouskonemessut 2024
Eyes on the Future
In 2025, we’ll continue building the future of robotics and expanding into new territories.
– It’s been fantastic to see how robotics is increasingly viewed as an opportunity and a tool across industries. The conversation has shifted from fears of job losses to exploring how robotics can be utilized in various applications, says Maria.
Our focus next year will be on sustainability, as we actively explore new ways to improve the responsibility of our operations.
– It’s exciting to see how this year’s lessons and achievements will shape our future. We have a strong vision for utilizing robotics to support sustainable development, Matti concludes.
While most of our customer projects remain under wraps due to strict NDAs, we can already reveal that an incredibly interesting project will be unveiled next year. So stay tuned and follow us on social media!
Warm Thanks and Holiday Greetings
Our 19th year in business – our first as a fully “adult” company – has been filled with meaningful moments. We want to thank our customers, partners, and everyone who has been part of this journey – yes, you!
Wishing you a joyful and meaningful Christmas, and a successful New Year 2025!
Probot Oy – Specialist in Robotics.
