The TORNADO project consortium gathered for its Second Plenary Meeting (PM2) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona, Spain.
The two-day event brought together partners from across Europe in a spirit of strong cohesion and shared purpose, marking a pivotal moment in the life of the project.
Closing One Chapter, Opening Another
PM2 officially marked the conclusion of Phase 1 and the launch of Phase 2 of the TORNADO project. With the first phase now behind the consortium, attention has firmly shifted to the core activities that will drive the project forward through to Month 22 (October 2026):
- Core system developments
- System architecture design
- System integration plan definition
- Lab prototyping and testing
Setting the Course for Phase 2
The meeting pursued four key strategic objectives: aligning on project status and coordination; strengthening technical and integration management; ensuring effective project management; and reconfirming priorities through to M22.
Under WP1, the consortium agreed on clear guidelines for Phase 2 execution, centred on the need for structured cross-WP technical coordination and a sharpened focus on the pilots — asking not just what will be done, but how the pilots should be approached to maximise impact. Compliance targets have been set at every level: per work package, per task, per activity.
Day 1 featured a comprehensive review of all Work Packages, from WP2 (Use-case Requirements and Pilot Studies) through to WP7 (Dissemination and Community Liaising), with each team presenting achievements since the last meeting, next steps, and risks. The discussions reflected real depth and professionalism, with partners engaging closely on the interdependencies between Work Packages and how best to support progress across the three use cases. Large-scale laboratory-based and systematically pilot-driven research & development activities in core and advanced robotic functionalities are now well underway.
Highlights from Day 2: Pilots, Integration — and Robots!
Day 2 was dedicated to Phase 2 system testing status for each of the three use cases, covering integration challenges, WP interdependencies, prioritised roadmaps, and end-to-end deployment pipelines.
A particular highlight was the live laboratory demonstration organised by the Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial (IRI), which gave participants the chance to see two charming robots — Ivo and Tiago — in action. The demonstration was a welcome and inspiring complement to the technical sessions, bringing the project’s ambitions vividly to life.
The day concluded with a summary of action points, ensuring every partner left with clear next steps.
Looking Ahead
Working in an environment where nurturing young talent and investing in the innovators of tomorrow is a genuine priority made this meeting not only productive, but deeply inspiring — a reminder of why projects like TORNADO matter beyond the technology itself.
The Third Plenary Meeting will be hosted by The University of West Bohemia (Západočeská Univerzita v Plzni), Czech Republic, in autumn 2026.
