How do autonomous robots, drones, and intelligent systems make the transition from the lab to real-world applications?
The program “AI Meets Reality: From Algorithms to Autonomous Systems” at the Zurich AI Festival in Winterthur is dedicated to this very question. Together with the LINA team from Zurich’s universities (ZHAW, UZH, and ZHdK), industry partners, the Vitus Areal, and House of Winterthur, a program is being developed that brings together research, business, and society. Co-initiator and keynote speaker Dr. Hella Bolck explains in an interview why Winterthur is the ideal venue and what visitors can look forward to.
“AI Meets Reality: From Algorithms to Autonomous Systems”—what is this program about, and what can visitors expect?
Hella Bolck: Our central question is: Physical AI is leaving the lab—what is needed for such systems to function in our real world? In the future, autonomous robots, drones, and intelligent systems will become an increasingly integral part of our everyday lives. For example, they can assist us in protection and rescue operations or take on tasks that are dangerous or tedious for humans. However, the journey from prototype to practical application raises many technical, societal, and regulatory questions. With “AI Meets Reality,” we make this journey visible and tangible.
Visitors can look forward to a diverse program featuring keynotes and demos by experts from both research and industry. They will demonstrate what is already possible today, which applications hold particular promise, and where challenges still lie. In a panel discussion, we will also address issues of trust, responsibility, and societal acceptance.
The Zurich AI Festival is making a stop in Winterthur this year. Why is the city—and the Vitus Areal in particular—the right venue for this event?
Winterthur is the ideal venue for this event. The festival supports exactly what the city aims to achieve with its economic strategy: raising the profile of Winterthur as a hub for technology and innovation, strengthening networks among key players, and fostering exchange between industrial expertise, academia, and practical applications—as well as between politics, government, and residents.
With the ZHAW, Winterthur boasts a strong university that brings together expertise in engineering, aviation, and AI, among other fields. The AI Festival event grew out of our work at LINA, where we focus primarily on the intersection of these fields to build a platform for testing and trialing physical AI and autonomous systems under real-world conditions. With “AI meets Reality,” we want to highlight even more clearly that Zurich’s AI and innovation ecosystem does not end at the city limits, but extends far into the canton and all the way to Winterthur—and that so many exciting things are already taking shape here today.
The Vitus site offers the ideal conditions for this: Inside the hall, we can set up a stage and demonstrate systems firsthand, while outside there is space for mobile demonstrations such as drones or autonomous vehicles. At the same time, the site is easily accessible and close to the key players in our ecosystem. We particularly appreciate the smooth collaboration with the Vitus team and the opportunity this provides to strengthen a vibrant startup and industrial ecosystem in Winterthur.
What are you personally most looking forward to at the Zurich AI Festival 2026—and which event should companies definitely not miss?
I’m especially looking forward to bringing our LINA team and our strong network together. Together, we’re pulling in the same direction and want to show just how much expertise, energy, and passion there is in the Swiss ecosystem for Physical AI and autonomous systems—and how this can lead to concrete solutions with a positive impact. It would be great if we could inspire people with this and create a space in Winterthur where such developments are visible, openly discussed, and advanced collaboratively.
A highlight for me will be the Innovation Fair: There, companies and visitors can experience current systems firsthand, exchange ideas with the people who develop and implement them, and see where we already stand today.
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