Posts | Mobile Robotics Research Group — Prof. Dr. Christian Pfitzner

Robotics Has So Many Facets

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Robots are no longer a vision of the future — they are already deployed in manufacturing, logistics, and service industries. This was demonstrated by the diverse contributions at this year’s efi colloquium on robotics, organised by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Precision Engineering and Information Technology (efi). The well-attended event addressed the question of “how intelligent robotic systems will transform our working world and society”, featuring contributions from industry and research.

Matthias Nickl from Siemens Energy spoke about deploying robots for maintenance and inspection tasks in response to demographic challenges. Dr. Jonas Graetz from Ziehm Imaging presented an X-ray robotic system. Dr. Jürgen Baier from IsentoVier introduced the humanoid open-source platform pip for educational use. Markus Fenn, an alumnus of the Faculty efi, presented his robotics start-up EduArt.

Prof. Dr. Christian Pfitzner introduced AerodrOHM — a research environment for complex flight systems at the OHM Innovation Center, spanning 280 m² with a ceiling height of up to 12 metres. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Enrico Schröder addressed AI trends in robotics, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Sander spoke about humanoid mechatronics.

A particular highlight was the announcement of RoboCup 2027 in Nuremberg. The TH Nürnberg’s successful robotics team autonOHM is already preparing for the world championship of autonomous robots — to be held in their home city.

Source: TH Nürnberg — Original article

Two Days of Robotics under Competition Conditions

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

On 23 and 24 February 2026, TH Nürnberg organised its first RoboCup Junior Rescue qualifying tournament at the Technology Transfer Centre Nürnberger Land (TTZ). More than 60 students in 23 teams took part. The competition served as a regional qualifying round for the German Championship, held from 10 to 14 March 2026 in Cologne.

The tournament featured rescue robotics scenarios of varying difficulty. Participants’ self-built robots had to navigate obstacles and search for simulated missing persons. The first day of competition included arrivals, test runs, and initial rounds. On the second day, two further rounds per discipline followed.

Nine of the 23 teams qualified for the German Championship in Cologne. The award ceremony took place in the presence of District Administrator Armin Kroder and the Mayor of Lauf. Several regional companies and institutions provided financial support for the event.

Source: TH Nürnberg — Original article

Team autonOHM Succeeds at RoboCup World Championship

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The autonOHM team from TH Nürnberg achieved impressive results at this year’s RoboCup World Championship in Salvador, Brazil — despite facing considerable technical and logistical challenges. The team finished third in the @Work league and fourth in the Rescue league, the latter being the best result in the team’s history.

The students had originally planned to compete with their well-tested robots Ωmeg4 and Schrödi. However, shipping the robots to Brazil was not financially feasible, and at over 60 kilograms they also exceeded the limits for air transport as checked baggage. At the last minute, the team switched to more compact robotic solutions that could be carried as cabin baggage.

For the @Work league, EduArt Robotik GmbH provided a robot platform at short notice, complemented by a robotic arm from Prof. Dr. Matthias Wieczorek. Within just two weeks, the team ported all software to the new system — a remarkable achievement that earned them a podium finish.

The Rescue team faced equally steep challenges: their planned robot Simon failed due to a faulty motor controller. The team managed to borrow a Unitree robot dog from a local reseller. In record time, they transplanted all reusable components — including cameras, sensors, and a manipulator built on-site — into the new platform. This creative solution unexpectedly carried the team to the final, where they placed fourth.

Both teams demonstrated determination, strong problem-solving skills, and outstanding teamwork — supported by Prof. Dr. Frank Pöhlau and Prof. Dr. Christian Pfitzner. The @Work team is now preparing for the next RoboCup World Championship 2026 in South Korea. In 2027, Nuremberg itself will host the RoboCup World Championship.

Source: TH Nürnberg — Original article