At the International Symposium on Robotics (ISR) event in Munich, Germany, Bertil Thorvaldsson, senior advisor at ABB, received the Engelberger Robotics Award for Leadership. Bertil is recognized as the ‘father’ of RobotStudio, ABB’s software platform for robot system design and testing. He was also involved in the adoption of virtual and augmented reality technologies, enabling system integrators and end manufacturers to visualize how a robot would work in the factory floor, without stopping production.
Bertil joined ABB as early as 1976 and has been part of the robotics industry since its genesis. He was part of the small team that developed the world’s first microprocessor controlled all-electric robot, and in the 1980s, was instrumental in developing the software tools to create “digital replicas” of real manufacturing systems, which led to the birth of RobotStudio.
“I would like to congratulate Bertil for his huge contribution to furthering the field of Robotics,” said Marc Segura, president of robotics, ABB. “Through his forward-thinking vision and leadership, he has been instrumental in the digitalization of automated solutions. By leading the development of RobotStudio — one of the most used programming and simulation software solutions in the world — Bertil has radically transformed the field of robotics, increasing productivity in automated solutions. I take this opportunity to thank him for this extraordinary achievement.”
Bertil accepted his award as a thought leader in the robotics industry, and more recently also in ‘metaverse’ manufacturing.
“It is an honor to receive the Joseph F. Engelberger award and to be a part of the prestigious 'robotics hall of fame,'” Thorvaldsson said. “Augmented reality and the metaverse were science fiction when I started my career in robotics, but now they play an integral part in automation every day. It has been fascinating to be a part of this journey, and I am proud of the role RobotStudio has played over the years. Today is a tipping point where the integration of AI and software can radically expand the horizons of robotics and automation. I look forward to the next exciting chapter.”
