Tag: TUM

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First Geriatronics Summit

The goal of the First Geriatronics Summit is to highlight current and planned robotics solutions in the context of geriatronics and to raise awareness of the relevant technologies among policymakers. According to its website, the event, which will take place on June 20 and 21, 2022, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany), aims to answer the following questions: 1. How can geriatronics be used to address the growing shortage and geographic disparities in caregivers and overburdened healthcare? 2. How can robotics and AI promote independence, mobility, self-determination and health for older people for as long as possible? 3. What are the rules of autonomy and how can moral, ethical, cultural, and personal challenges and dilemmas be addressed for geriatrics? Invited scientists are Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tamim Asfour (KIT Karlsruhe), Dr. Sylvain Calinon (EPFL), Dr. Tadej Petrič (Jožef Stefan Institute), Dr. Matteo Laffranchi (Italian Institute of Technology – IIT), Prof. Adriana Tapus (Institut Polytechnique de Paris), Prof. Jim Tørresen (University of Oslo), Prof. Dr.- Ing. Sami Haddadin (TUM), Prof. Dr. med. Alena M. Buyx (TUM), Prof. Dr. oec. Oliver Bendel (Hochschule für Wirtschaft FHNW), Prof. Dr. Christian Djeffal (TUM), Prof. Vera Lúcia Raposo (University of Coimbra), Prof. Dr. Lee Bygrave (University of Oslo), and Prof. Dr. Martin Ebers (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin/University of Tartu). The event is supported by the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Volkswagen Foundation, among others.

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Towards Robots with Artificial Skin

“Sensitive synthetic skin enables robots to sense their own bodies and surroundings – a crucial capability if they are to be in close contact with people. Inspired by human skin, a team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a system combining artificial skin with control algorithms and used it to create the first autonomous humanoid robot with full-body artificial skin.” (Press Release TUM, 10 October 2019) The robot skin consists of hexagonal cells which are about the size of a two-euro coin. Each of them is equipped with a microprocessor and sensors to detect contact, acceleration, proximity, and temperature. “Such artificial skin enables robots to perceive their surroundings in much greater detail and with more sensitivity. This not only helps them to move safely. It also makes them safer when operating near people and gives them the ability to anticipate and actively avoid accidents.” (Press Release TUM, 10 October 2019) The artificial skin could become important for service robots of all kinds, but also for certain industrial robots (Photo: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Astrid Eckert).