With its extensive expertise in AI-based robotics, the University of Bremen has been accepted as a founding member of the network, which brings together leading research institutes and industry partners.
Traditionally, Germany has been one of the most important locations for use of and research into robotics due to its strong automotive industry. Massive technological advances in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) are now opening up numerous potential applications in industry and society – for example in the healthcare sector. The University of Bremen has long been internationally renowned for its expertise in AI-based robotics and has now been accepted as a full member of the Robotics Institute Germany, which will be officially established on July 1. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is supporting the consortium of research institutes and technology companies with 20 million euros of funding over the next four years in order to position Germany at the forefront of global robotics in the future.
Special Expertise in Researching Robots for Everyday Use
“Being involved in the founding of the Robotics Institute Germany is an important milestone for the University of Bremen,” states Professor Michael Beetz, head of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IAI) at the University of Bremen and spokesperson for the “Everyday Activity Science and Engineering” (EASE) collaborative research center. “We are much looking forward to cooperating with the other leading international institutions and industrial partners to shape the future of robotics together.”
The University of Bremen with its holistic research into AI-based robotic systems is virtually unique in the world. While most other research institutes focus on specific components, Bremen’s expertise lies in the integration of various components and research findings into systems suitable for everyday use. As this can only be achieved through intensive and close cooperation with many other institutions, Prof. Beetz and his team have also developed a “Virtual Research Building.” This enables scientists to access the research infrastructure and results of other robotics researchers from any location – a model that could be used for future interdisciplinary research cooperation throughout the EU. Due to its outstanding robotics expertise, the University of Bremen has also already been given a key role in the euRobin competence network.
Academic Focus on Robotics in Bremen State
This success is an important milestone for Bremen as a scientific hub. Senator for Science Kathrin Moosdorf: “With the University of Bremen and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), two strong partners from Bremen are joining forces in RIG. They will play a key role in pooling expertise in the field of AI-based robotics at a national level in the coming years. This is a very important step for the international development. Bremen State has committed itself to the strategic goal of strengthening AI-based robotics. The fact that two institutions are now involved in RIG, this network of excellent research institutes, is a great success.”
University President Professor Jutta Günther emphasizes: “I am very pleased – for us as a university, but especially for Professor Michael Beetz, whose institute radiates enormously in the field of robotics. The University of Bremen plays in the top league of robotics. It is nationally and internationally renowned for its cutting-edge research. It is therefore only a natural step for it to play a decisive role in the establishment of the Robotics Institute Germany.”
Five Strategic Goals
The Robotics Institute Germany pursues five strategic goals: strengthening cooperation between robotics locations, sharing infrastructure, promoting talent, standardizing research findings, and identifying industry needs at an early stage. Promoting start-up culture is also one of its core tasks.
The following universities and non-university partners are involved in the project:
Technical University of Munich as consortium leader, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (RIG spokesperson), University of Bremen, University of Bonn, Technical University of Berlin, Technical University of Darmstadt, University of Stuttgart, RWTH Aachen University, Technical University of Dresden, and Technische Universität Nürnberg as well as the German Aerospace Center Bremen (DLR), Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, three Fraunhofer Institutes (IPA, IOSB and IML), and the German Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Cooperation with other (also international) partners is planned.
Further Information:
About the Institute for Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bremen:
www.ai.uni-bremen.de
Press release of the TU Munich:
www.tum.de/en/
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Michael Beetz
Institute for Artificial Intelligence/ EASE collaborative research center
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-64005
Email: m.beetz@uni-bremen.de
