Rudolfovo - The scientific and technological
centre in Novo Mesto

Rudolfov's research and development work is aimed at:

• key technologies for Industry 4.0 and 5.0, especially in the first decade of its operation,

• digitization and digital transformation of the economy and the entire society;

• circular economy, and

• transfer of research results and technological knowledge to the environment while protecting intellectual property and thereby promoting technological, non-technological and social innovations, technologically more demanding entrepreneurship and consequently increasing productivity and added value in the economy.

 

Research % development activities are strengthened by four research & development units or

The four pillars of The Rudolfovo Institute:

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Laboratory for Factories of the Future

The laboratory continues the work of the laboratory of the same name as part of the Novo Mesto Development Center. It covers the key enabling technologies for Industry 4.0, especially robotics, automation, machine vision, the Internet of Things, advanced processing technologies and additive technologies. It manages the demonstration centre for smart factories, which houses the most modern equipment for the aforementioned technological units. The demonstration centre is intended for organizations for testing before they decide on their investment, for training employees in organizations that need such equipment, and for inspiring young people (children, high school students, students) for careers in the STEM field.

 

Centre for Digital Transformation

The centre covers the content of key enabling technologies for digitization and digital transformation of the economy and local communities, i.e. artificial intelligence, digital twins, computerization of business processes, data technologies, high-performance and quantum computing, big data and cyber security. In addition to the technological aspect, the research and development work also covers the impact of digitalization on society, on employees, and on the ethical and moral dilemmas that accompany digitalization, e-participation, e-democracy and e-citizenship. The centre focuses on the development of the most modern technologies related to digitization and contributes to the direction of regional organizations and society with the most modern professional research knowledge on digitization and digital transformation.

 

Centre for Circular Economy

The centre considers the pressure of the growing economy and consumption of limited resources, the carrying capacity of the environment, and the circular economy as one of the more developed concepts that fully comply with EU environmental law or the environmental policies of the EU after 2008. The work of the centre follows the legislation or directives, topics, strategies, priorities and goals of the European Commission, which apply to the transition of EU member states to the circular economy, and to the goals that are foreseen within the individual areas of the line ministries for the systemic transition of Slovenia to the circular economy. Taking into account the dependence of the transition to a circular economy on the knowledge and technologies developed within research organizations and their transfer to the economy, which are dealt with by the Center for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property, the Center for the Circular Economy starts from the current situation that exists within individual areas or phases of the circular economy process.

 

Centre for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Rights

The centre researches and develops methods and procedures for transferring technological knowledge to the business environment and strengthening the management of intellectual property. Efforts are aimed at transferring technological knowledge to the business environment and strengthening the management of intellectual property, promoting integration and cooperation between public research organizations and the economy, and strengthening the competencies of researchers and organizations in the field of management and use of intellectual property and technology transfer. The centre also works in the field of capitalizing on the results of international projects that took place in the environment and had as a special focus in the environment a very strong automotive industry, as well as the IT sector.