At the Automation & Robotics Conference 2025 in Delft, hosted by Fizyr, one theme stands out: the shift from traditionally programmed robotics to systems guided by vision and AI. In this video report by Rocking Robots, Ronald Poelman of Fizyr discusses this fundamental change in how robots operate in industrial and logistics environments.
Poelman explains that for decades, robotics relied on PLCs executing predefined, predictable actions. This limited automation primarily to high-volume processes with little product variation. With the introduction of vision technology and AI, that model is changing. Robots no longer follow fixed programs; instead, the camera observes what needs to be done and provides that information to the robot. This enables automation in low-volume, high-mix environments that were previously difficult to handle.
According to Poelman, AI vision forms an essential part of the robot’s “brain.” The camera delivers the perception, AI interprets the scene, and together they allow a robot to act correctly in dynamic and variable conditions. This combination increasingly defines what is technically possible in automation and logistics.
Poelman’s message is: vision technology for logistics automation has matured. What was once viewed as a small-scale prototype is now ready for large-scale deployment. Critical use cases can already be addressed with today’s AI-driven robotic systems.
