Garmisch-Partenkirchen, July 28, 2026 – Following last year’s success, the Art and Science Days for elementary school students, organized by GaPa-Kultur, took place again shortly before summer break. The Geriatronics Research Center in Breitenau also opened its doors to two classes. The fourth-graders from Gröbenschule and the second-graders from Garmisch Elementary School each participated in workshops tailored to their respective grade levels. For 90 minutes, the focus was on the large CNC lathes and milling machines in the hall, the many 3D printers at the research center, the camera systems used by researchers, and, of course, the programmable robotic arms and the robots themselves, such as the well-known GARMI.

Mayor Peter Schimpf skillfully gets children excited about robotics

During his introduction to the two morning sessions, it became clear that getting children excited about robotics and the campus is a matter close to Mayor Peter Schimpf’s heart. After his welcoming remarks, the third mayor of the town impressed everyone with his basic knowledge: “The term ‘robot’ comes from the Czech language. It derives from the word ‘robota,’ which means something like ‘corvée’ or ‘hard labor,’” said Schimpf. Robotics, therefore, refers to the science and technology of developing, constructing, programming, and applying robots that work for us humans or perform a service. For the fourth-graders from Gröbenschule and for some members of the Geriatronik team, this etymology was new. But among the second-graders at Garmisch Elementary School were several children who were able to show off this knowledge and then talk shop with Peter Schimpf.

The children’s questions were quite challenging: What kind of world do you want?

When the groups entered the GARMI research lab together with scientist Tonia Mielke, there was no sign of hesitation or reserve. As soon as GARMI was ready, each of the children was allowed to interact with it. In addition to questions about favorite video games, GARMI’s features, the heaviest or fastest animals in the world, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen itself, one fourth-grader from Gröbenschule particularly surprised everyone with his question: “GARMI, what kind of world do you wish for?” The resourceful robot’s answer met with unanimous approval: “I find the idea of a colorful and friendly world exciting, where all animals and people can live together and have fun. A world full of adventure and friendship.”

One thing quickly became clear over the two mornings: The participating children had formed a bond with the research center, which was particularly evident toward the end of the workshops when they were operating the robotic arms on their own.