Dall’iCub a Generative Bionics: la robotica e il futuro che abbiamo costruito insieme

Giorgio Metta, Scientific Director of the Italian Institute of Technology, with the iCub robot 

If I were to pinpoint a significant milestone in my career within the robotics field, I would reflect back to the early 2000s when, after two years at MIT in the United States, I, along with Giulio Sandini, successfully secured funding to develop a small humanoid robot that could serve as a benchmark for the international robotics community. We named it iCub, and at that moment, it felt almost like science fiction.

iCub was not merely a robot; it was an open-ended, long-term platform. Its aim was to investigate learning through the interaction between the robot and its environment, as well as human-robot interactions, simultaneously inspiring a new generation of roboticists. The possible applications ranged from industry to aiding individuals in their daily lives. During those years, the Italian Institute of Technology was established in Genoa, under the leadership of Roberto Cingolani, and iCub quickly became its symbol.

However, the narrative of iCub goes beyond that of a robot; it is chiefly about the individuals it has educated in research, technology, and business. Over the years, the IIT robotics division has flourished, evolving into a nurturing ground for talents who now carry forward that vision globally.

In 2013, Daniele Pucci joined the iCub project after completing a PhD in aerospace engineering, training under Francesco Nori, who was then a researcher at IIT and is currently the director of the robotics lab at Google DeepMind in London. Alongside Alessio Del Bue, Marco Maggiali, and Andrea Pagnin, a blend of expertise emerged, encompassing artificial intelligence, robotics, economics, and industrial design, all converging around that initial humanoid robotics and AI research platform, capable of attracting talents. This collaboration led to a crucial piece of the Genoese Robot Valley: the startup Generative Bionics.

Generative Bionics philosophically stems from a branch of iCub and technologically from the ergoCub project developed by IIT in collaboration with INAIL. It is the forty-first startup born from IIT research, the largest among them and likely the most significant academic spin-off in Europe. The goal is to develop intelligent and sophisticated humanoid robots that can seamlessly integrate into daily life and work alongside humans. This serves as a tangible example of how public investment in fundamental research can create real value for society and the national economic system.

The company has attracted a consortium of high-profile investors, including CDP Venture Capital, AMD Ventures, Duferco, Eni Next, RoboIT, and Tether, totaling an investment of 70 million euros. These figures are significant for the Italian innovation ecosystem and provide a solid foundation for competing at the European and global levels.

Meanwhile, the international landscape of humanoid robotics is experiencing extraordinary acceleration. Giants like Tesla, Figure.ai, Xiaomi, and numerous Chinese companies are investing billions in developing machines capable of movement, learning, and interaction in complex environments. Systems powered by artificial intelligence, including generative AI, and increasingly advanced control architectures are set to transform manufacturing, logistics, assistance, and domestic settings. Italy, with its strong tradition in mechatronics and industrial robotics, now has a tangible opportunity to enter this rapidly growing market.

Today, we recognize that the worth of an institution like IIT is not solely gauged by its scientific achievements but also by the individuals it has trained and the ideas it has nurtured. If Italy holds a position in global robotics, it is also due to this ecosystem of talent and shared visions.

But this is not the conclusion of the story. IIT is perpetually advancing. While companies bring technologies to factories, our role remains to envision the next leap. Humanoid robotics still needs to evolve to step out of the factories of the future and approach, in its interactions, the human experience. Not androids, but robots with flexible mechanisms, gentle interactions, high dexterity in manipulation, tactile sensors inspired by skin, flexible electronics, and cognitive architectures derived from neuroscience. Not an incremental evolution, but a paradigm shift.

In a rapidly aging society, robotics will become increasingly essential. IIT envisions it as an integration of materials science, microelectronics, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. It is a unique place embodying the dream of a true Robot Valley, of which I am proud to be a part.

*Scientific Director of the Italian Institute of Technology