The company Autegra d.o.o. launched on June 16th, 2025 the implementation of the project “Development of an innovative system for non-contact verification of proper seating of a metal cap on a glass bottle using infrared technology – INFRACAP”.
The project will be carried out under the Call for Proposals Proof of Innovative Concept – Third Call, financed through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism.

The project, which focuses on the development of a non-contact system for verifying the proper seating of a metal cap on a glass bottle using infrared technology – INFRACAP, aims to prove the innovative concept developed by Autegra d.o.o. This concept addresses a critical challenge in the food industry related to final product quality control. INFRACAP, whose commercialization is expected after project completion, will enable fast and precise verification of correct cap placement on bottles, significantly improving product quality, production efficiency, and reducing the risk of contamination.
Implementation of the project will strengthen the applicant’s research, development, and innovation capacities, with project target groups including the company’s employees and management.

The project consists of the following activities:

A1: Experimental proof of the innovative concept for non-contact verification of proper seating of a metal cap on a glass bottle using infrared technology
A2: Laboratory validation of the technological concept for non-contact verification of proper seating of a metal cap on a glass bottle using infrared technology
A3: Innovation cycle management
A4: Administrative project management
A5: Information and visibility

By achieving the project purpose and results, the project will meet its specific objective – the development of an innovative product that will strengthen the applicant’s research, development, and innovation capacities, thereby enhancing the company’s readiness for developing new products, processes, and services. Achieving the specific objective also directly contributes to the general goal – improving final product quality control processes in the food and beverage industry. The project intervention is structured from the perspective of the target groups – the applicant’s employees and management.

The expected project results are:

R1: Proven innovative concept of a system for non-contact verification of proper seating of a metal cap on a glass bottle using infrared technology.
R2: Validated prototype for non-contact verification of proper seating of a metal cap on a glass bottle using infrared technology in a laboratory environment.
R3: Increased company capacity for research, development, and innovation.

The project is financed by the European Union.

More information:

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Exciting news from AUTEGRA d.o.o. and its partners!

We have officially launched the AGROLIROS – Agronomic Linear Robotic System (IP.1.1.03.0063) project under the call “Strengthening Strategic Partnerships for Innovation in the Industrial Transition Process” funded by the Integrated Territorial Program 2021–2027.

AGROLIROS is a ground-breaking research and innovation initiative that aims to revolutionize green technology in agriculture. By developing an advanced autonomous robotic system, this project addresses global climate challenges while increasing crop productivity.

💡 Important facts:
– Project duration: May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2028
– Total value: € 2,722,719.65
– EU co-financing: €2,088,150.13
– Partners: SMART AGRICULTURE, PAL, ORBITA PROMET, University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems (LARICS), Karlovac University of Applied Sciences
– Leading organization: AUTEGRA

Stay tuned as we push the boundaries of innovation in agricultural engineering!
🔗 Learn more: https://eufondovi.gov.hr

We are exhibiting at the 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲!

We are pleased to announce our participation, alongside our partner RobCo, at the International Fair of Technics and Technical Achievements, which will take place at the 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 from 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟯 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱.

📍 Visit us in 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝟯, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟯𝟬𝟯𝟳

Whether you are attending to network, discovering new solutions, or just saying hello, we would love to meet you!

#Tehnika2025 #BelgradeFair #TradeShow #Innovation #Engineering #TechExhibition #RobCo #Autegra

We are pleased to announce that Autegra has been featured in the latest publication “𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐚: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫”, published by the Ministry of Economy. This comprehensive report highlights the dynamic and innovative robotics ecosystem in Croatia, and we are honored to be among the companies driving this sector forward.

Our inclusion in this publication is a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in industrial automation and robotics.

We would like to thank the Ministry of Economy for this recognition and our dedicated team for their hard work and passion. Together, we are shaping the future of robotics!

🔗The full brochure is available online: https://lnkd.in/dESyRke7

hashtag#Autegra hashtag#Robotics hashtag#Innovation hashtag#Croatia hashtag#IndustrialAutomation hashtag#Technology

A step towards innovation and collaboration 🤝

Innovation thrives when knowledge meets real-world application. That’s why we’re excited to announce that Autegra and the Zagreb University of Applied Sciences have signed a cooperation agreement—a step towards stronger collaboration between academia and industry.

Why This Partnership Matters

In today’s fast-evolving technological landscape, students and professionals must gain practical experience alongside their academic education. Through this partnership, we aim to:

✅ Provide students with hands-on experience in real engineering projects
✅ Support research and development initiatives that push industry boundaries
✅ Create internship and job opportunities for future engineers
✅ Facilitate knowledge exchange between academic experts and industry professionals

Looking Ahead

This collaboration represents a shared vision of fostering innovation, skill development, and technological advancements. We are eager to work closely with faculty, students, and industry leaders to shape a smarter, more connected future.

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to making this happen! We look forward to turning ideas into action and creating meaningful opportunities together.

📢 Stay tuned for more updates on upcoming projects and initiatives!

Autegra will be at the International Industrial Fair in Celje! The fair runs from 8 to 11 April 2025, and our stand is F35.

What awaits you with us?

• We will show new solutions for faster and better production.
• You will be able to see our systems in operation.
• Our experts will answer all your questions.
• You will find out how to reduce costs and improve your business.

Why come to the fair?

This is where industry experts gather, share knowledge, and establish partnerships. If you want to better understand new technologies, this is the right place.

Visit us at stand F35! We look forward to your arrival!

📍Where? Celje, Slovenia – Stand F35
📅When? April 8 – 11, 2025.

Ana Šelek and Josip Spudić participated in the ICARA 2025 conference, which took place in Zagreb from 12-14. February. They presented their research in the field of robotics and autonomous systems and showed how new technologies can improve the precision and efficiency of robotic platforms.

✅ Ana Šelek presented her work “Reactive Navigation of the Ackermann Steering Robot in Unknown Environments”. She focused on the development of algorithms that enable a robot with Ackermann control to move safely through unknown environments. Its approach is based on reactive navigation, which allows the robot to quickly adapt to obstacles and changing conditions, which is crucial for applications in industry, agriculture, and autonomous vehicles.

✅ Josip Spudić researched “Reachability Optimization for an Autonomous Soil Sampling Platform with the Central Opening”. In his work, he investigated the optimization of a mobile platform for robotic soil sampling, using different methods to optimize arm accessibility. The optimal ranges of dimensions of the central opening are identified, which allows a reliable reference for the design of the mobile platform.

The work on display revealed new ways to make better robots, and at the conference, they discussed and agreed to collaborate with other experts in the field of robotics. This research helps to create robots that can do difficult jobs better, faster, and safer.

IFAM, the leading industrial event in the region, will be held from 11 to 13 February 2025 at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre. This fair brings together experts in industrial automation, mechatronics, robotics, and industrial electronics and is an ideal place to learn about the latest technological solutions and innovations.

Visitors will explore advanced automation systems, industrial robots, sensor technologies, vision systems, and IoT solutions. This fair is a great opportunity to network with leading experts and companies shaping the industry’s future.

Autegra, together with its partner Robco, will proudly present its innovative solutions at the fair. You can find us in Hall A2, Stand 001. Visitors will be able to see how modular robots enable flexible automation of various production processes and how industry can adapt to future challenges with advanced robotic systems.

We invite all interested parties to visit our stand and discover firsthand how Autegra and Robco can improve your business through smart and efficient robotic solutions!

See you at IFAM 2025!

Industry 4.0 (also known as I4) is the name for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Before I4, of course, there were three previous revolutions that marked major changes in industrial production. The first was at 18. century when water and steam became the primary fuel for production. Given that the transition from manual work to new technologies was necessary, the time has passed while new technologies were accepted in production. The first industries to experience this were the textile industry, the iron industry and agriculture. The second revolution marks the age of mass production. The mass production of steel had a butterfly effect, resulting in the growth of railroads, which increased connectivity between people and encouraged the spread of mass production. The changes I mentioned led to great economic growth, but also to an increase in unemployment as many workers were replaced by machines. The third or digital revolution occurred as a result of the development of computing and information and communication technologies. It has brought about many changes in everyday affairs and shaped the world as we know it today.

I4 means the development of automated and fully autonomous, intelligent systems that will communicate with each other, but also with the operational staff. It requires absolute digitization and full use of communication capabilities to achieve its maximum and accelerate the development of industrial production.

If we want to achieve that level of I4, it is necessary to develop the elements of I4 that make it what it is – autonomous robots, big data technologies, IoT (Internet of Things, a system of connected devices, machines, objects, people with the ability to communicate and transfer data without direct contact). , cloud storage, artificial intelligence, 3D printing and many others. All these I4 elements are connected within the CPS (Cybernetic-Physical Systems), which is a system that integrates the network, digitization and physical processes of the named elements.

Although this still seems like a distant future, today many I4 elements are used in everyday life, not only in industry. 3D printing can be seen at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb, online sales companies such as Amazon, e-Bay, Wish, ordering food and other necessities, using the cloud to store photos, audio or videos – the development of these everyday parts life caused the development of I4 itself.

Given that I4 is still developing, there are several open questions we still face – what will the world look like when I4 reaches its full capacity?, how to organize governance and resources?, how does one branch of I4 affect another? and many others.

The minor scientific articles on I4 that have been published have mostly focused on two branches – the economic branch and the ecological branch. Social, humanistic, the possibility of innovation, management strategies, political are just some of the many elements that were not mentioned, but come to the fore and open up new questions about I4 that need to be solved.

Some of the problems facing I4 have no indication of a solution. The economic branch, of course, was the most processed, but the price of implementing these systems is still too high to ensure investors a return of their money and that they will earn some more. And so on, the loss of privacy due to the rise of surveillance, artificial intelligence, the rise of unemployment due to automation, especially for blue-collar workers. Continuity, impossibility of regulation, problems with norms and work certificates, managers at the top of the hierarchy become redundant, any errors in IT systems can cause huge losses, just like errors in cyber security or firewall systems.

I4 is also being developed in Croatia, at least in theory. Smart factories are still a rarity, many business meetings are organized, university classes are increasingly focusing on it, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce has documents on its website dedicated to I4 and its primary characteristics.

However, in the practical world the situation is somewhat different – Croatia is still far from I4. Less than 30% of the industry can be called part of Industry 3.0, while the general picture shows that we are still in the age of Industry 2.0. If we compare it with other EU countries, it is even more visible. The European Parliament made four groups of countries, based on their involvement and I4 potential – the first group consists of leading countries, which are Germany, Sweden, Austria and Ireland, countries with potential are Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Great Britain and France, traditional countries are the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Lithuania. The last group is the so-called wavering countries, namely Italy, Spain, Estonia, Portugal, Poland, Bulgaria and Croatia. They are considered wavering because they do not have a good enough industrial base or they do not have enough economic resources for further growth. Croatia’s problem is that it allows many of its I4 workers to go to Germany or Ireland and supply their growth instead of its own.

Although I4 is still in its infancy, there are many challenges in its implementation. With good preparation, critical reading of already written scientific articles and creation of new ones, I4 has the potential to change the world we live in today. A good strategy is needed that includes all aspects and the transition period necessary for organizational changes to take place – the difference before and after the transition to I4 should make companies unrecognizable.

I4 has the ability to change our daily lives, but with bad management and strategies it can also threaten the economy, production or society in general. It all depends on us how we deal with I4 and how seriously we take it.

Smart cities can be defined as urban areas that use different types of electronic sensors to collect data to provide information for asset and resource management, not necessarily as a group of smart homes. Data can be collected in different ways – from citizens, their devices, city equipment and other business recipients. This data is then processed, analyzed, monitored and managed by transport and transportation systems, power plants, water supply, police, information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals and many other institutions.

The basis of smart cities is the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). The Internet of Things is a system of interconnected devices, mechanical and digital machines with unique identifiers and the ability to transmit data over a network without the need for human interaction. The concept of smart cities integrates information and communication technology (ICT) and various IoT-connected physical devices to optimize the efficiency of city operations and services. In this way, ICT would be used to increase the quality and interactivity of city services, reduce costs and resource consumption, and facilitate communication between citizens and the city administration.

Interest in smart cities has been fueled by some major social and global changes. Technological progress, economic and environmental changes, climate change, internet sales, growth of urban populations and even the coronavirus are just some of these changes that encourage the development of smart cities.

In addition to all of the above, the concept of a smart city goes further. Smart cities would encourage citizens to be more active members of society, giving feedback on the different services they received, the condition of the roads, the appearance of the surroundings or volunteering for social activities. Today, smart cities are still a rarity, which makes them attractive locations for living, employment and tourism.

Some of the key aspects for the development of smart cities are as follows:

• Modern digital infrastructure, combined with secure but open access to public data that would be provided to citizens when they need it.
• Intelligent physical infrastructure (IoT).
• Willingness to learn from others and experiment with new business approaches or business models.
• Transparency of the results and performance of the city administration so that citizens can evaluate them, institution by institution, and so that progress can be made.

From the above, it can be seen that the road to smart cities is still long. With all the resources that have to be invested and the amount of time it takes to progress, the question is how profitable is it? Why do we even need smart cities nowadays?

We need them precisely because urbanization is a process that does not stop. 54% of the world’s population lives in cities, and this number is expected to increase to 66% by 2050. If population growth is taken into account, urbanization will add 2.5 billion new people to cities over the next thirty years. There will be overcrowding in cities which will lead to depletion of resources, and growing socio-economic differences between citizens may lead to problems in the community. With careful implementation, smart cities can be the best investment to solve these problems. The connection between citizens on several levels and, as already mentioned, between the city administration and the population is increasing. In addition, smart cities are “environmentally aware” because in theory they use devices to monitor air cleanliness, along with other factors important to human health.

How successful a smart city is, once it is built, depends on several factors, some of which have already been mentioned in the text. In addition to people’s satisfaction, their connectivity, the quality of housing, trade and urban infrastructure, there are three other qualitative indicators of the level of development of a smart city:

• The prevalence of wireless connectivity
• Data openness
• Security

Wireless connectivity may not be the same in all cities, as not all cities are the same size. Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) is a fast growing technology that would suit most smart cities. It is specific in that it enables fast communication in IoT, such as sensors and receivers. Such technology includes technologies such as LoRa (long range), Bluetooth and many others. With the development of 5G technology, which is expected, smart cities should be raised to a new level and become an increasingly common phenomenon in the world.

Historically, governments, companies, and individuals themselves have strictly guarded their data and shared as little as possible with others. Privacy concerns and fears of security breaches outweighed the value of disseminating information. However, for a smart city to succeed, it needs to enable all its residents to share information and combine it with context to make informed decisions in real time.

Cameras throughout the city, smart roads and security surveillance of public places can add another layer of protection and security to citizens. Fantastic in theory, in practice, however, problems and doubts arise. The possibility of hacking and cyber attacks, data theft, lack of trust in information sources are just some of the problems that arise. The answers to these questions lie in physical data safes and strong identity checks and strong authentication.

There are four main security objectives:

• Availability – reliable access to all data in real time. Sharing, collecting and filtering information is essential, and all security solutions must not affect availability.
• Integrity – Smart cities depend on reliable and accurate data.
• Confidentiality – some collected and stored data may contain sensitive information about citizens. Unauthorized access to this information should be prevented.
• Accountability – system users must be responsible for their actions. Their interactions with sensitive systems must be recorded and linked to a specific user.

Some large world cities have already started the process of achieving the status of a smart city.

New York has launched several initiatives aimed at developing a smart part of the city. “Midtown in Motion,” a project of the New York City Department of Transportation, launched a management system that made commuting in Central New York 10% faster. “LinkNYC” provides free and high-speed Wi-Fi, phone calls, cell phone chargers and access to city services, maps and directions. This project represents a unified communication network (instead of payphones) between the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. The “MyNCHA” application and website provide various online services to property owners. Launched in 2015. , MyNYCHA includes services such as paying rent, arranging repairs, warning of various breakdowns, viewing inspection schedules…

In Europe, Amsterdam and Copenhagen are the most prominent in the field of smart cities. Amsterdam as a smart city project started in 2009. year with over 170 projects. In addition to real-time traffic data, Amsterdam also has “roboats” (delivery ships) and floating self-sustaining villages that prevent overcrowding. Copenhagen, in collaboration with the American University of MIT, is developing a system of smart bicycles that will send real-time data to the administration and drivers through its sensors, most of which relate to traffic congestion and clean air. To further improve this, in collaboration with Google, the city has installed air-measuring equipment in street-view cars to produce a map of the city’s heat spots to inform cyclists and pedestrians where the air is cleanest and to help plan routes.

Croatia has a National Development Strategy until 2030. year, in which a large part is occupied by the development of smart cities. Although it is not yet at the level of the smartest cities in the world, Croatia is moving in the right direction, although it is still necessary to invest in improving infrastructure and modern technological solutions.

Zagreb Smart City is a strategy for improving Zagreb, which focuses on efficient, smart and transparent city administration, smart energy management, digital infrastructure, utility management and many other parameters that determine a smart city. In 2007 Rijeka introduced free Wi-Fi at selected locations in the city, and they also received the “Smart city” award for monitoring traffic with drones. Dubrovnik, as the largest tourist center, presented some solutions that make life easier for citizens and tourists. The city is introducing a smart parking system – sensors are placed in all parking lots, and people can use an app to find a free space. In addition, there is an application that monitors the movement of people in the old core and predicts crowds.

In addition to big cities, small towns are also participating in their progress towards smart city status. Vukovar has a model that would monitor traffic, implement smart traffic lights and turn on public lighting when it gets dark. Vrgorac has an app that directly connects local farmers and producers with customers. Bjelovar digitized public administration, and Pula digitized kindergartens, which made enrollment easier.

One of the most famous, if not the most famous, smart products created in Croatia is certainly the smart bench, whose inventor was included in the Forbes “30 under 30” list (30 promising entrepreneurs under 30). The bench provides access to the Wi-Fi network, has a wireless charger for mobile devices and 2 USB ports, and illuminates the area around it with LED lighting.

Besides all the good sides of smart cities, there are also bad sides. Some can already be guessed from the text so far.

The first is the most obvious, the possibility of security breaches and loss of privacy. Already, many human rights activists are fighting against the aggressive collection of data necessary for the functioning of a smart city. Life would be like that of George Orwell’s novel 1984, with cameras on every corner, and the daily collection of data on citizens’ lives would help the authorities understand every aspect of their lives, which could be pretty bad if that data fell into the wrong hands.

Another problem would be the lack of information and the technological illiteracy of a large part of the citizens. If the citizens themselves are not aware of the changes and do not know how to use them and thus play their role in the smart city system, all innovations and hundreds of billions invested in them will be in vain.

The sensors needed to operate a smart city run on batteries. Producing at least a trillion batteries for IoT devices is impossible and certainly bad in the long run because of all the harmful effects battery production has on the environment. Some tech companies are already working on wireless power transmission, which would power devices via radio waves. Sound like the distant future? It may not be that far, but so far such devices are still not in use, especially not in public.

Smart cities are the future, not so far away. Civilization advances every day and it is only a matter of time when technology and artificial intelligence will take over the daily tasks of the citizens of smart cities and thus free up even more time for creativity and art. Whether this will happen in ten or fifty years is hard to say, but there is no doubt that such a future is almost certain.