Industrial AI at the ZHAW CAI: Smart Machines Cluster event brings research and industry together
On 29 September 2026, the ZHAW Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) hosted the latest event of the Smart Machines Cluster Initiative in Winterthur. Several CAI groups presented representative projects on trustworthy and explainable AI for industrial applications, followed by lab tours and a networking apéro.
The Smart Machines Cluster Initiative is a joint innovation platform of the Winterthur Chamber of Commerce and Employers' Association (HAW), Technopark Winterthur and House of Winterthur. It connects local companies, startups and academic institutions to strengthen the competitive edge of the Winterthur region in fields such as industrial automation, sensor technology and generative manufacturing. On 29 September 2026, the ZHAW Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) hosted the initiative’s latest event at the ZHAW School of Engineering in Winterthur. The event was organised by Prof. Dr. Alisa Rupenyan-Vasileva, head of the Industrial AI group.
Following an introduction to the CAI by Prof. Dr. Thilo Stadelmann, researchers from several CAI groups, including Industrial AI and Embodied Mobile Agents, as well as the Swiss Centre for Responsible AI, presented representative projects. The focus was on trustworthy and explainable AI for industrial applications, ranging from process monitoring in injection moulding to production planning using reinforcement learning.
Laboratory tours hosted by the Industrial AI and Embodied Mobile Agents groups gave participants insights into the experimental platforms behind the projects. The event concluded with a networking apéro.
Further information is available on the HAW website.