Culture – Robot Valley Genoa, Robotics, Art and People – Eco di Savona

After installation Robot Friends in Largo Pertini, with the two twin works by the artist Massimo Sirelli that announced the event to the city, we get to the heart of the Robot Valley program, organized by RAISE Liguria with the Municipality of Genoa and the Liguria Region, with the coordination of the University of Genoa, CNR and IIT. On 19 and 20 April Villa Bombrini will host a full program of meetings and talks, workshops and robotic demos, as well as an exhibition of works by the artist himself; participation in meetings, workshops, robotic demonstrations and access to the romanticiROBOT exhibition are free.

“This is an important event and it is essential to raise awareness of the sector”, declares Maurizio Gregorini, artistic director of Robot Valley, “remembering that Valpolcevera has an important role. It will be a launch edition of the Robot Valley with three sections: scientific at Villa Bombrini on 19 and 20 April, artistic with the installations in Piazza De Ferrari and informative with the workshops without forgetting the works of the artist Cirelli made with recycled materials with inauguration Friday at 6pm at Villa Bombrini; the Robot Valley was born from the collective inspiration that involves the RAISE container made up of different entities in the sector promoting robotic culture and awareness. Valpolcevera is the Italian Robot Valley as there are research centers and private companies that use robotics; this reality must be known to make the areas attractive. We aim to grow this event and the artist spreads innovative art through robots in Piazza De Ferrari creating strong social movements; the first edition is a sort of appetizer that shows what will be there.”

Jessica Nicolini, coordinator of the region’s cultural policies, expressed the same satisfaction: “We support the event, remembering that artificial intelligence and robotics are opportunities to be seized; technology can help people and the Italian Institute of Technology, connected to the Erzelli hub, has many researchers. Robots in hospitals help patients and doctors by creating jobs for young people; it is also important to link them to art by making this event the first of a long series”.

“The municipal administration and the mayor believe in all of this,” says Davide Falteri, municipal councilor responsible for new business establishments in the area, “but we need to create awareness for change and these issues must be addressed correctly. Technological revolutions have great potential and it is important to exploit the opportunities arising from robotics and artificial intelligence; Investments are needed for the growth and development of the port, remembering that technology attracts new companies and allows us to be competitive. The Italian Institute of Technology can make us become a hub of new companies set up for the development of the city with repercussions on the whole of Europe; the investment of community funds must have a return but it is equally necessary to have economic realities and capable people here. A lot can be done but all this must be linked to non-negotiable values; these issues are scary but we must help companies by working with the region to train people since new skills are needed by creating a control room and a strategic plan”.

“I am the innovation manager of the Italian Institute of Technology,” continues Andrea Pagnin, “remembering that we have four central hubs for the city. The development of Valpolcevera is necessary and the CNR is the national point of reference for research; the city, health, the environment and the port are the areas of our interest, remembering that we have invested 109 million in research by uniting 25 partners to which we have added 90. Robots are created by those with passion and in the future they can help us but the human being must remain at the center; this is an important cultural match but human beings must maintain their centrality.”

“Within RAISE, financed by the PNRR, there are around 900 researchers and it is nice to see that there is synergy between the different subjects”, underlines Marco Faimali of RAISE, “and for us it is necessary to reach the market with innovative technologies. Collaboration with the region and the municipality is fundamental and during this event there will be four free educational workshops for young people; on the afternoon of the 19th we will have an event on the economy linked to robotics and a discussion on the use of these systems to treat our territory. The contamination between art and science makes everyone grow but I want to remember that robotics and artificial intelligence are necessary for inclusiveness, the environment, health and the port; we will have talks for everyone and workshops for kids.”

“Our institution creates training intended for professionals”, highlights the director of the robotics school Emanuele Micheli, “but we need to give young people the opportunity to understand the technologies that can be used in an entrepreneurial way, avoiding their incorrect use”.

“A special concert will be held”, comments the representative of the Anfossi association, “titled The Illuminated Factory which was staged for the first time in 1964. It will be presented again in a different way with an internationally famous duo”.

“We really enjoyed making the robots in Piazza De Ferrari even though we relied on the artist who believed in us,” recall some students from the Accademia Ligustica, “and this turned out to be a fun but at the same time educational experience . We thank the artist, the academy and the municipality.”

“This is a hot topic and I want to say that the artist Sirelli creates his works by recycling old and broken objects; for him robots are friends and I thank RAISE, the municipal administration, the order of engineers and all those who collaborated, remembering that in 2025 there will be a larger event at the Magazzini del Cotone”, concludes Maurizio Gregorini.

For information and knowledge of the program: www.robotvalley.it/

The romanticiROBOT exhibition will be inaugurated on Friday 19th at 6pm at Villa Bombrini.