The Institute of Competitiveness and Innovations (ÚKaI) primarily focuses on addressing research tasks in both fundamental and applied research, oriented towards the following areas:

• product design and testing,
• bionics and bionic principles,
• rapid prototyping,
• reverse engineering.

Main research directions include:

• intelligent manufacturing systems,
• digital enterprise,
• mobile robotics,
• virtual and augmented reality,
• simulation and digital design of processes and systems,
• automation and artificial intelligence,
• and other domains supporting the increase of productivity and competitiveness of enterprises.

Within its research activities, ÚKaI is developing an original concept of Competence Islands for Factories of the Future, utilizing a Multi-Agent Control System (MAS), within which research on the autonomous energy system of mobile robots is carried out. A special research direction focuses on new materials for laser and optical applications, aimed at the research and development of new technologies for high-productivity manufacturing of large-scale single crystals of sapphire and yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with rare earth elements (Yb:YAG, Nd:YAG, Ce:YAG, etc.).

In solving research tasks and projects, advanced technologies are utilized for 3D design of manufacturing systems using 3D laser scanning, augmented reality, virtual reality, simulation, and other digital enterprise tools.

Research also addresses new approaches in the areas of:

• artificial intelligence,
• machine learning,
• image recognition,
• application of metamodeling and genetic algorithms.

ÚKaI develops innovative solutions in the field of low-cost automation and assembly process automation. The research also includes progressive approaches and software solutions for economic analyses evaluating enterprise performance, as well as methods aimed at implementing elements of advanced industrial engineering. Since 2014, ÚKaI has operated an accredited testing laboratory, whose competence to perform accredited activities is demonstrated by meeting the accreditation requirements of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for testing the performance of bearings and axle boxes within the scope of its accreditation certificate No. S-343.