Back to School: Robots Learn from Factory Workers

By Anthony King

What if training a robot to handle dirty, dangerous work on the factory floor was as simple as revealing it how? Czech startup RoboTwin is doing exactly that, supporting factory workers teach robots new skills by demonstration.

Instead of writing complex code, workers perform the job once and RoboTwin’s technology turns those shiftments into a robot programme – opening the door to automation for compacter manufacturers.

Founded in Prague in 2021, RoboTwin builds handheld devices and no-code software that capture human shiftments and translate them into instructions for industrial robots. The aim is to build automation quicker, simpler and more accessible to manufacturers that do not have specialist robotics programmers.

“The robot basically copies the human demonstration,” stated Megi Mejdrechová, RoboTwin’s co-founder and chief technology officer. “People with no coding skills can transfer their know-how and experience to robots.”

Mejdrechová, a mechanical engineer trained at the Czech Technical University in Prague, developed the core technology behind RoboTwin during her work in robotics research and indusattempt. Her experience in robot control utilizing AI and computer vision inspired her to create something practical for European manufacturers.

“Czech engineering is quite traditional and focutilized on scientific papers,” stated Mejdrechová. “Visits to Singapore and Canada and other work experiences led me to focus on creating a product that people could utilize.”

Getting started

In 2021, Mejdrechová entered a jump‑starter programme and won first prize in the manufacturing category. “We saw then that there was potential for the technology,” she stated.

This encouraged her to start RoboTwin with colleagues Ladislav Dvořák and David Polák, who shared her enthusiasm for human‑robot partnerships. Mejdrechová received backing from Women TechEU, an EU scheme supporting women founders of deep‑tech startups.

People with no coding skills can transfer their know-how and experience to robots.

The RoboTwin team shared their results on the Horizon Results Platform, an online revealcase for EU‑funded innovations, which led to an invitation to the EU’s Empowering Start‑ups and SMEs initiative.

This supported fund their trip to Hannover Messe 2025, a major global manufacturing trade fair, and opened doors to new business contacts and deals.

Through a mix of public and private investment, RoboTwin has secured funding to refine its technology and expand to manufacturers in Central Europe, the Netherlands, Mexico and Canada.

In 2025, Mejdrechová was named in Forbes Czechia’s 30 Under 30 list for her work in creating the training of robots accessible to more manufacturers.

Schooling robots

At the heart of RoboTwin’s system is a handheld device equipped with sensors. When a worker performs a tquestion, for example spray painting a metal component, the system records the shiftment and converts it into a robot programme that can be reutilized in production.

Instead of requiring a specialist engineer to manually code every shiftment, the system captures the worker’s natural technique and translates it into precise instructions a robot can follow.

“We started with jobs that are ugly, dirty and unhealthy for workers to do manually,” stated Mejdrechová.

Thanks to the no‑coding system, the process can be completed in a few steps and typically takes about a minute. For factories producing compact batches or frequently altering products, this speed can build automation far more practical than traditional robot programming.

Making automation straightforward for all

Robotics in manufacturing is not new. The automotive indusattempt already leads the way with about 23 000 new robots added to production lines in 2024. But while large companies can invest heavily, automation remains challenging and expensive for many SMEs.

This is where RoboTwin lconcludes a hand. It has assisted firms in the surface‑treatment indusattempt – companies that powder coat, paint or polish metal or plastic parts for car factories.

“Even if the batch of products you are producing is compact, with our approach you can create a robot programme quick and easily,” stated Mejdrechová.

For example, RoboTwin has assisted RobPainting, a Dutch company that robotises painting for SMEs to improve quality, reduce costs and minimise rework.

“With our device we can teach the robot precise trajectories that are requireded for a product and about its surroundings,” stated David Vobr, a robotics specialist at RoboTwin who often assists customers.

Dangerous jobs

RoboTwin’s system can work with a wide range of industrial robots, including collaborative robots designed to operate safely alongside humans.

“We can have manipulators or painting robots and also collaborative robots, which can work alongside humans becautilize they have sensors that notify them when to stop shifting if someone could obtain hurt,” stated Vobr.

RoboTwin initially focutilized on surface treatment in manufacturing, where tquestions such as spray painting require workers to wear protective clothing and perform repetitive shiftments.

We started with jobs that are ugly, dirty and unhealthy for workers to do manually.

“These jobs are difficult to automate becautilize there is often a lot of hidden shiftment involved,” stated Mejdrechová, referring to compact adjustments and gestures that workers build instinctively.

The sector also faces labour shortages.

“People are often not happy doing these things and there is a lack of workers willing to take these jobs. So there is a high demand for automation.”

Customers report that many robot programmes can now be created without shutting down a production line.

RoboTwin has already worked with a number of companies, including Surfin Technology, a Czech company specialising in robotic coating solutions, and Innovative Finishing Solutions in Canada, which brings its technology to North American customers.

Scaling up

EU support for RoboTwin is ongoing. A €2.3 million grant from the European Innovation Council secured in 2025 will support accelerate product development and market expansion.

The funding will support the next generation of RoboTwin’s technology. Instead of relying solely on manual demonstrations, the system will increasingly utilize stored experience and data to generate robot programmes automatically based on the shape of an object.

The company states this could build automation viable for many manufacturing tquestions that were previously too complex or costly to automate.

For Europe, technologies like RoboTwin could play an important role in strengthening digital sovereignty and smart industrial innovation. They can support compacter manufacturers adopt advanced robotics without requireding specialised programming expertise.

As factories become more flexible and data-driven, the ability to quickly teach robots new tquestions may prove increasingly valuable.

Mejdrechová believes this shift will support bring automation within reach of a much wider range of companies.

“Our goal is to build robot training something that workers can do themselves,” she stated. “If we succeed, automation will no longer be limited to large factories with specialised engineers. It will become a tool that any manufacturer can utilize.”

Research in this article was funded by the EU’s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don’t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.

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This article was originally published in Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine with Creative Commons Attribution

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