SICKNIFICANT

Hosted by SICK Sensor Intelligence.

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Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

From the Black Forest to the Rocky Mountains, through the Outback and to the Yellow Sea. SICK sensor solutions drive digitalization all around the globe. The SICKnificant podcast sneeks a peak on the people behind the tech. They make SICK the company it is: Future-oriented. Responsible. Partnering.

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11 recent

October 23, 2026Episode 1127 min

Partnerships as a Driver for Innovation

Customers expect complete solutions that work. But what happens when one company cannot cover every aspect on its own? For Fruitcore Robotics and SICK, this was the starting point for a collaboration that has since expanded into further areas. In this episode of SICKnificant, Patrick Bornstein talks with Fabian Kienzler from Fruitcore Robotics and SICK’s Anatoly Sherman about why companies seek partners with complementary expertise, how collaboration develops through joint customer projects, and what happens when things don’t go as planned. Using examples ranging from camera-based part detection to functional safety for robotic installations and digital twins, they share experiences from their collaboration and discuss where their combined expertise can open up further possibilities. The episode takes a practical look at how partnerships can help companies address a broader range of customer needs and develop new solutions together.

June 29, 2026Episode 1017 min

Machine Safety and the Challenge of Innovation

Machine safety is becoming increasingly complex. As robots, AGVs, and collaborative applications transform modern manufacturing, traditional safety concepts are being put to the test. In this episode of SICKnificant, Patrick Bornstein talks with machine safety experts Jens Müller and Dr. Martin Kidman about how innovation is changing machine design – and what that means for safety. Discover how manufacturers are adapting to more flexible and dynamic production environments, how safety standards keep pace with emerging technologies, and why risk assessments remain the foundation of safe machine design. Tune in to learn how manufacturers can balance safety, productivity, and innovation in increasingly complex automation environments.

July 21, 2025Episode 930 min

Startups in a Company – Conflict or Catalyst for Innovation?

Startups are usually born in garages – not inside global tech companies. Or are they? In this episode of SICKnificant, Patrick Bornstein and David Sonnenberg, driving Internal Startups at SICK, talk about how innovation is built from within. Dicover how internal startups at SICK tackle real-world challenges – like automated luggage transport at airports – while navigating the tension between startup agility and corporate structure. They dive into the upsides (speed, creativity, safety to fail) and the challenges: Getting real market feedback inside a large organization Navigating internal resources and corporate red tape Balancing risk and reward for intrapreneurs Tune in to discover how bold ideas thrive inside SICK: fast, hands-on and undeterred by the hurdles of innovating within a global company.

September 23, 2024Episode 835 min

Dynamic Safety – The New Era for Safe Productivity

Safety in the production process is of paramount importance. But how can we ensure safety while maintaining, or possibly even increasing, productivity? This question is being discussed in this episode of SICKnificant. Dynamic safety significantly enhances productivity without compromising safety standards. Tune in to hear experts Benjamin Heimpel and Patrick Vollmer discuss how innovative safety solutions are transforming industries. Find out more on our website: https://sick.com/dynamic-safety

April 10, 2024Episode 718 min

Hack your IoT solution in the world of industrial automation

When Jules Verne published his novel "From the Earth to the Moon" in 1865 it was just a science fiction story. But roughly 100 years later, humans actually did land on the moon. The impossible had become a reality. This is just one example on how technological development has always been inspired by open minds and creative ideas that at a first glance may have seemed outlandish. Together with our hack coaches and two hack participants, we talk about innovation and how important it is in today's world as well as how hackathons help to foster innovation in technology. Find out more on our website and apply for this year's SICK Solution Hackathon on October 15-17, 2024: https://hackathon.sick.com

October 4, 2023Episode 639 min

Industrial Metaverse: The opportunities offered by the new virtual world

"In the think tank, we observe the digital world. We focus on disruptive technologies that have the potential to change a great deal. We are investigating whether and how we can use them for SICK. The Metaverse - and here for us as SICK the Industrial Metaverse in particular - is one such technology." Explains Arnd Sörensen , Project Manager

June 12, 2023Episode 526 min

Deep Learning: The "Gamechanger" for Automation and Production Efficiency in Industry

Deep Learning as a sub-field of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning has become increasingly important in recent years due to the increasing availability of data and computing power. The technology is revolutionizing automation in production and other areas by enabling machines to perform tasks that previously required human intelligence. Dr. Christoph Eichhorn, Strategic Product Manager for Digital Services and Solutions at SICK, explains how Deep Learning is revolutionizing automation and production. More information on SICK Deep Learning solutions you'll find on our website: https://www.sick.com/de/en/industrial-artificial-intelligence-/w/artificial-intelligence/

May 6, 2022Episode 431 min

"The Holy Grail of Human-Robot Collaboration"

For years, the use of robots in production was an image one encountered primarily in the automotive industry. Behind high fences, huge robotic arms assembled heavy car body parts. But robots have changed and their tasks now cover a very broad spectrum. Flexible collaboration between humans and robots is the crowning achievement - without fences, without pre-programmed sequences, and still safe at all times. Fanny Platbrood, Head of Strategic Product Management at SICK, explains what it takes to achieve this.

December 4, 2021Episode 329 min

Globalization in the company: Shared independence

In 75 years, SICK has grown from a small southern German company to a global player with more than 10,000 employees. How can SICK maintain the balance between the global network and its local nodes? What effect does a company’s globalization have on its culture and values? And how does the corporate culture support ‘internal’ globalization? In this episode, we welcome Dr. Mats Gökstorp, CEO of SICK, to discuss these issues.

July 21, 2021Episode 236 min

„Digital first“ alleine schafft noch keinen Mehrwert

Wie hängen Digitalisierung und eingelöstes Nutzenversprechen zusammen? Im Gespräch mit Fabian Schmidt, Head of Digital Manufacturing bei SICK, wollen wir nicht nur diese Frage klären, sondern auch generell einen Blick in die Zukunft der Produktion werfen. Dabei ist das Schlagwort „Digitalisierung“ keine realitätsferne Zukunftsmusik, sondern ein greifbares, unverzichtbares Element im Alltag – solange der Nutzen klar ist.