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Revolution in robotics: TU Ilmenau presents groundbreaking helpers!
On March 9, 2025, the TU Ilmenau is opening a free exhibition about robot technology and its applications in care and everyday life.
Revolution in robotics: TU Ilmenau presents groundbreaking helpers!
The Technical University of Ilmenau opened an unusual exhibition today that provides an insight into 30 years of robotics research. This new “Robo Expo” presents ten automated helpers that have been developed for various areas of application such as retail, care, rehabilitation and the home sector. Prof. Horst-Michael Groß, head of the Neuroinformatics and Cognitive Robotics department, is the creative mind behind this initiative, which is intended to help ensure that the achievements in robotics research are not forgotten. The exhibition can be viewed Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the university's building, Helmholtzplatz 5, and entry is free TU Ilmenau reported.
The robots shown include Tweety, Hera, Ringo and Konrad. Visitors have the opportunity to obtain information via text panels and use pointing gestures to access information on two large monitors. Built-in video material provides information in English and German about robotics research and the devices on display. The development of these robots is mainly carried out by MetraLabs GmbH from Ilmenau.
Advances in robotics for home care
A remarkable innovation in the field of robotics is the mobile, autonomously operating robot platform that was developed by scientists at the TU Ilmenau. This platform aims to support home care and consists of an assistant robot and an app-based communication network. How Interactive technologies reports, the focus is on supporting those in need of care and their relatives, who often have to cope with a large number of coordination tasks.
The MORPHIA project aims to relieve both those in need of care and those supporting them. A central feature of this platform is video calls, which enable family exchanges even over long distances. The robotic platform has already been tested in 13 senior apartments for over 41 weeks and has shown that it can take on tasks such as transporting food and automating appointment reminders. Footnote: Alignment of technology with nursing needs is ongoing, and voice recognition may be included in future releases.
Challenges in the nursing industry
Inpatient care faces numerous challenges that are exacerbated by demographic change. More and more older people need care, while at the same time fewer young people are entering the nursing profession Fraunhofer IPA determines. The average illness rate among nurses is alarmingly high, leading to an acute shortage of skilled workers.
Modern service robots offer innovative solutions here by making non-care activities more efficient and ergonomic. This gives nursing staff the opportunity to concentrate more on the actual nursing tasks. Current projects are investigating various application scenarios for service robots, including automated transport and support during night shifts. The aim is to make work in the care industry more attractive in the long term and to avoid damage to health.
Developments in robotics promise to lead the care industry into a new era in which technological support overcomes key challenges while improving the quality of life for those in need of care and their families.