Lightening Talk Host: Jim Beretta

Robotics applied at Hydro-Québec - examples and associated benefits
Presenter: Julien Beaudry

Hydro-Québec has adopted an ambitious plan for the coming years and will face several challenges, such as a growing need for skilled labor, increasingly complex maintenance prioritization, and a power grid under rising demand. Robotics is emerging as a promising solution to help address these issues.

This presentation will provide an overview of the company’s activities in this domain, both in research and development and in the deployment of robotic technologies. Whether for our generation facilities or our transmission lines and substations, the robots deployed in the field are valuable tools for inspection, maintenance, and the management of our strategic assets. Concrete examples of applications, along with their associated benefits, will be presented.

From Manual to Robotic: Reinventing Glass Edging
Presenter: Alireza Saboukhi

This case study demonstrates how robotic automation is transforming glass edging processes. A robotic manipulator, integrated between two vertical edging systems, handles rotation and transfer of large glass sheets after each pass. The system measures each sheet’s width and length, allowing the robot to pick from a predefined position and rotate the glass 90° or 180° depending on client requirements. Operators now only load sheets at the start and unload finished pieces, eliminating back-and-forth handling and significantly reducing direct interaction with heavy glass. This improves operator safety and allows more time to check the quality of the final units. Machines now run approximately three times faster, increasing throughput from 15,000 inches per shift to 40,000–50,000 inches per shift, while downtime is reduced and cycle times accelerated.

Reaching the Unreachable: How Cable Robots Are Transforming Sanitation in Iceland’s Largest Fish Plant
Presenter: Frédéric Vachon

In food production, cleaning isn’t just routine, it’s essential. For one of Europe’s largest seafood processors, traditional manual sanitation posed persistent challenges: difficulty in staffing overnight shifts, inconsistent results, rising labor costs, and increasing pressure to meet stringent hygiene standards. To address these issues, Rbot9 deployed VOTTA™, an overhead cleaning system powered by a cable-driven platform, robotic arm, and high-pressure spray nozzles. 

Operating above the production floor, VOTTA™ automates sanitation across 900 m² per unit, reaching walls, ceilings, equipment contours, and floors, all without disrupting layouts or requiring additional infrastructure. Within months, the system can delivered:

• $728K in annual savings after full rollout 
• ROI in 17 months 
• 3–4 fewer workers needed per robot deployed 
• Traceable, audit-ready cleaning cycles with improved hygiene consistency 
• Reduced exposure to chemicals and fewer repetitive strain incidents for workers

Unlike mobile or fixed systems, VOTTA™ adapts to complex environments and retracts overhead when idle, preserving workflows and maximizing space. It standardizes sanitation, eliminates human error, and operates tirelessly, freeing up teams for higher-value tasks. This lightning talk will share lessons from this deployment, and why cable robotics like VOTTA™ are reshaping sanitation in food and protein processing, offering a smarter, scalable alternative for facilities grappling with labor shortages, stricter regulations, and the urgent need to do more with less.