[nuova] INESCOP is a technology centre specialised in footwear, with more than 50 years of experience, equipped with the largest laboratory specialised in footwear, thanks to which it promotes innovation in the sector and helps to meet the scientific and technical needs of companies.

The centre is a leader in quality control, adhesive research and CAD system development for footwear and components and is recognised as one of the most prestigious in the footwear industry worldwide.

One of its main activities is R&D; INESCOP researches, generates knowledge and transfers it to companies; its main objective is to help them implement technological innovations that allow them to generate value and gain competitiveness. INESCOP provides its services to more than 1,000 companies every year supported by its infrastructure, equipment and, above all, its highly qualified team. In addition, it coordinates and participates in multiple regional, national, and European R&D projects.

With its R&D lines, INESCOP addresses the current challenges of the footwear sector and its entire value chain, although its technological capabilities are cross-cutting and can be applied to other industrial sectors. Digital transformation, reducing environmental impact, ensuring user comfort and health, advanced manufacturing, collaborative robotics, 3D design and printing, and circular economy are some of its main objectives to be met.

Given its close relationship with footwear companies, INESCOP will provide APRIL with the necessary knowledge on insole handling, with the final objective of automating the bagging process. To this end, INESCOP will define the task and the materials to be used (insoles and bags), and will analyse the current process, its hotspots, bottlenecks, etc.

INESCOP will play an active role in the integration tasks and during the evaluation phase, with its demonstrator focusing on the challenges of object recognition and manipulation.

INESCOP’s use case involves the bagging of different shoe insole models in an autonomous way. These insoles are made from a wide range of materials, leading to variations in their rigidity, which will challenge the dexterity of the system. In addition, some of these insoles, as well as the bags, are partially transparent or reflective, which is an added constraint for the intelligent analysis of the objects.

INESCOP is a centre for technology and innovation. Established in 1971, it currently has the legal status of a non-profit, private association of companies. INESCOP has cross-cutting technological capabilities that can be applied to numerous sectors, although it was originally set up and specialised for the footwear sector. 

Given its close relationship to footwear companies, INESCOP will provide APRIL with the needed knowledge about insoles manipulation, with the ultimate goal of automating the process. To realise this, INESCOP will define the task and the materials used (insoles and bags), and analyse the current process, critic points, bottlenecks, etc. 

INESCOP’s use case involves the packaging of different models of shoe insoles autonomously. The insoles of the shoes present a great variety of materials. The variety in the materials rigidity will challenge the system’s dexterity. In addition, many of these insoles, as well as the packaging, are transparent or reflective, posing a great challenge to the intelligent analysis of objects.