In mid-March, emergenCITY-PI Oskar von Stryk and other researchers from TU Darmstadt played a key role in two major AI robotics events in Germany.
At the German Robotics Conference, the specialist conference organized by the Robotics Institute Germany (RIG), TU Darmstadt was represented with numerous scientific presentations. In the RIG Cluster Field Robotics, Prof. Dr. Oskar von Stryk, Professor at TU Darmstadt and PI at emergenCITY, along with other emergenCITY researchers, presented research findings and applications in the field of civil safety robotics. This area is of direct relevance to resilient and crisis-proof urban infrastructure.
Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär showed particular interest, stopping by the booth to learn about TU Darmstadt’s research and applications following her presentation on Germany’s High-Tech Agenda and the Federal Research Ministry’s AI Robotics Booster. The focus was on contributions to safety-relevant robotics and deployment scenarios, which are also of great significance for the emergenCITY research context.
“The conference marked a milestone in German AI and robotics research. TU Darmstadt is making significant contributions in several areas of research and application,” emphasized Oskar von Stryk.
Also involved was emergenCITY PI Prof. Dr. Roderich Gross, who served as an organizer of the workshop “Tutorial on Multi-Robot System Platforms and Frameworks.” This also brought visibility to another research area that is highly relevant to emergenCITY: the coordinated interaction of multiple robotic systems in complex and dynamic environments.
Held in parallel with the conference were the RoboCup German Open 2026, organized jointly by the RoboCup Committee Germany and TU Darmstadt. Europe’s largest AI robotics competition saw a record turnout of over 1,100 participants and around 280 teams from universities and schools. The teams competed in various disciplines, including autonomous soccer, household, industrial, and rescue robotics. Ms. Dorothee Bär served as patron and officially opened the competitions. Professor Matthias Oechsner, Vice President for Research at TU Darmstadt, emphasized the event’s significance.
“The RoboCup is much more than just a competition—it drives innovation, shapes the future, and brings talented people together.”
The Darmstadt-based Team Hector competed in the Rescue Robot League with its newly developed rescue robot, Athena. Although the system was not yet able to reach its full potential this year, its development demonstrates the considerable innovative potential of robotic systems for crisis and emergency situations.
Starke Präsenz: TU bei German Robotics Conference und RoboCup German Open
