International AI and robotics elite at RoboCup German Open in Nuremberg

Ohm robotics team among the front runners

The AutonOhm robotics team from Nuremberg Institute of Technology Georg Simon Ohm (Ohm) took first place in the Rescue Robot League and a good fourth place in the RoboCup @Work competition. 

Over the course of several days, visitors to the Frankenhalle at the Nuremberg Exhibition Center experienced thrilling competitions in which robots demonstrated their capabilities in realistic scenarios. It was not only the robot teams playing soccer autonomously that caused a stir, but also the intelligent assistance robots in household, industrial and rescue operations.

In the rescue category, the AutonOhm team from Ohm, which has already won the German championship title several times, once again stood out. In an exciting competition, it came out on top in the final with its chain-driven rescue robot Schrödi. The decisive factor was the robot's high level of agility and skill in solving handling tasks.
In RoboCup Rescue, robots compete against each other in simulated disaster scenarios to find hidden victims and analyze the environment for rescue teams. Judging takes place in the four categories of maneuvering, mobility, dexterity, exploration and mapping.

The AutonOHM team achieved a good fourth place in RoboCup@Work. In this competition, the robots used are supposed to support human workers in factories. To do this, the robots have to move to certain positions fully autonomously, pick up and place small objects and master the transportation of objects between different work surfaces.

A few weeks before the RoboCup, the AutonOhm team decided to integrate a new robotic arm. Even though the first use of this new platform was very promising, it was not enough for the winner's podium this time. The aim is to build on the previous successes (world champion in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022, German champion in 2017 and 2018) in the coming year.

RoboCup German Open: One of the most important platforms for AI and robotics in Europe

The RoboCup German Open was organized with significant support from Ohm. With around 1,000 active participants from 12 nations, the event is one of the most important platforms for artificial intelligence and robotics in Europe. In addition to the major leagues for students and experienced researchers and the junior leagues for young pupils, the Rapidly Manufacturing Robot Challenge (RMRC) has recently been added as a link: In the competition, school teams compete against each other with robots that they have built themselves in a short space of time. The competition scenarios are similar to those of the renowned Rescue League. However, course elements and robots are cheaper and easier to implement and are therefore particularly suitable for promoting STEM subjects.

“The RoboCup German Open plays an important role in driving robotics and AI research in Germany. They are a unique link between research, teaching and practice,” said Prof. Dr. Stefan May, Professor of Mobile Robotics at the Ohm. “The competitions create a valuable opportunity for scientific exchange and practice-oriented training - they offer the chance to work together across disciplines and to promote at an early stage. That's why we support many partner schools in the region, which have now set up nine competition teams in the RMRC league. However, we would of course be delighted if we could inspire even more young talent for this competition.”