Garmisch-Partenkirchen, August 11th, 2026 – Experience robots up close, explore research labs, and program a robotic arm yourself: Children and teens ages 9 to 14 had the chance to do just that at the “Roboterfabrik Junior” event, organized by the Geriatronics Research Center at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) as part of the summer activity program offered by the Adult Education Center and the District Youth Association.

The young tech enthusiasts got to know the GARMI assistive robot and its successor, gained insights into scientific research, and took the opportunity to ask numerous questions about the world of robotics and artificial intelligence. The workshops, complete with milling machines and 3D printers, were also part of the program.

The demonstration by scientist Jens Rüppel generated great enthusiasm. Together with his interactive robot NAO, he amazed the children: The robot can speak, dance, imitate various animals, and much more. The children enthusiastically guessed the animals being portrayed and even danced along at times. “When people of any age interact with a robot, you notice that their initial reservations quickly fade away. It’s exactly these kinds of experiences that spark curiosity about research,” says 30-year-old Rüppel.

At the same time, a one-week internship for high school students took place at the research center, organized in cooperation with the Friends of Geriatronics. The interns proudly presented their final project to the young guests: a robot arm they had built themselves using 3D printing. From programming to the electrical work and hands-on tasks like soldering and screwing, there wasn’t a single step the teens didn’t carry out themselves. Their joy in discovering and building was contagious, even for the “Ferienpass” kids, who would have loved to watch the interns for even longer.

At the end of the summer workshop, the robot factory awaited them: there, the children were allowed to program and control robotic arms. Their imaginations knew no bounds: from building towers to transferring rice or setting up small obstacle courses—the robotic arms did whatever the young experts taught them to do.

The Geriatronics Research Center is regularly involved in science communication and, at its Garmisch-Partenkirchen location, offers people of all ages insights into TUM’s current research. The next opportunity to do so will be on November 20th 2026, during the Open House. Information about the program and registration will be published here on our website in early October.