CITEC

How can we ensure that robots capable of learning and adapting in the real world are safe, reliable, and trustworthy? This is the grand challenge that CAVECORE Continuous, Automated Validation, and Evaluation of Cognitive Robots in Open-Ended Environments is taking on. Dr. Ing. Sebastian Wrede and Prof. Dr. Klaus Neumann represent Bielefeld University and CITEC as principal investigators among nine other partners in the CAVECORE doctoral network. Funded by the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), CAVECORE will train the next generation of researchers to advance cognitive robotics - robots that can understand, interact, and evolve in complex, dynamic environments. While recent advances in AI have enabled remarkable progress, one question remains critical: how do we evaluate and validate these intelligent systems in a systematic and trustworthy way?

CAVECORE addresses this challenge by integrating evaluability-by-design into the entire robot development process. The network brings together expertise in robotics and AI - such as learning-enabled manipulation, adaptive control, and human-robot interaction with cutting-edge validation and evaluation methods, including automated testing, diagnosis, analysis, and AI metrology. Through this interdisciplinary approach, CAVECORE’s researchers will develop new frameworks that allow cognitive robots to provide continuous evidence of their performance and to adapt to evolving societal, ethical, and legal standards — including those set out in the EU AI Act.

Doctoral Candidates (DCs) in CAVECORE follow an innovative training program starting in 2026 that blends academic excellence with industrial relevance. They participate in secondments across leading universities, research institutes, and companies throughout Europe, gaining hands-on experience and developing both technical and professional skills.