ShieldBot participated in the Bienal Internacional de Máquina-Herramienta (International Machine-Tool Exhibition), BIEMH 2026, held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre from 2 to 6 March 2026. The project was represented by our coordinator IDEKO at Stand E20 in Hall 1 and also took part in one of the fair’s innovation workshops.
Within the booth, IDEKO showcased the latest innovations and technologies developed at the research centre, creating a research corner highlighting several ongoing Research & Development (R&D) initiatives, including ShieldBot, which was presented to visitors throughout the event, screening the presentation that you can see below. This space enabled direct interactions and discussions with industry professionals interested in robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing solutions.
ShieldBot Participation in an Innovation Workshop on Robotics, Automation and Digitisation
Our coordinator also took part in a roundtable discussion organised by AER Automation, the Spanish association for robotics and industrial automation, on Thursday 5 March at 11:05h in Hall 6 – B-50 Speakers’ Corner by Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia / Diputación Foral de Bizkaia (Provincial Council of Bizkaia), as part of the Innovation Workshops on Robotics, Automation and Digitisation. The session was titled “De la I+D aplicada al impacto industrial: robótica y automatización para una fabricación inteligente y sostenible” (“From Applied R&D to Industrial Impact: Robotics and Automation for Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing”).
Asier Barrios, Researcher at IDEKO, contributed as a speaker, sharing IDEKO’s experience and perspectives on the role of robotics in enabling smarter and more sustainable manufacturing. His intervention helped to increase the visibility of the ShieldBot project among members of the industrial and automation community who attended BIEMH 2026.
The workshop gathered approximately 30 participants, mainly representatives from Basque industrial companies as well as researchers from regional technology centres. The discussion offered an opportunity to strengthen relationships with AER Automation and foster dialogue with potential end-users from the advanced manufacturing sector. It was moderated by Alfonso Muñoz Bisié, Business Development at AER Automation, who was joined by Emilio Sánchez Tapia, Researcher at Ceit Research Center; Urko Esnaola, Head of Robotics for Industrial Flexibility at TECNALIA; Ander Ansuategui, Researcher in the Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Unit at Tekniker, and the ShieldBot representative Asier Barrios.
Asier highlighted that Shieldbot is a clear example of IDEKO’s evolution in the field of robotics, where we are exploring new applications to help shape a more sustainable construction sector, with a particular focus on improving building efficiency.
BIEMH 2026: The Leading International Trade Fair for Advanced Manufacturing
Participation in the event facilitated valuable exchanges with industrial companies, technology centres, and potential adopters of advanced robotic solutions. These interactions contributed to strengthening IDEKO’s outreach and opened new opportunities for collaboration and future exploitation pathways for the ShieldBot project.