Research

To better assess the danger posed by volcanoes, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a new measurement system. Laser beams are sent through escaping gas clouds and reflected by drones. An algorithm uses the reflected signals to generate a map showing gas concentrations, including elevated carbon dioxide levels. The ratio of carbon dioxide to sulfur dioxide is an important indicator of impending eruptions. [read more]

Riemannian manifolds for robot learning, optimization, and control are the focus of a new book that will soon be published by Cambridge University Press. A preprint version has already been available since the ICRA robotics conference. Three researchers from the Technical University of Munich contributed to the book: Arne Sachtler, Prof. Suvrit Sra, and Prof. Alin Albu-Schäffer. Questions to Arne Sachtler. [read more]

Building with aerial robots, especially in places that are difficult or impossible for humans to access: this is the goal of the new EU-funded research project HARPA, which is receiving four million euros in funding. Technical University of Munich Professor of Digital Fabrication Kathrin Dörfler is researching digital construction methods and strategies suitable for this type of assembly. [read more]

For her scientific achievements in grasping and manipulation in robotic and prosthetic applications, TUM MIRMI professor Cristina Piazza has been awarded one of five IEEE RAS Early Academic Career Awards in Robotics and Automation, one of the most prestigious international distinctions for emerging faculty in robotics. [read more]

Using a film containing 128 electrodes, researchers at the Technical University of Munich are now able to read a user’s intended movements directly from the motor neuron. According to tests carried out on healthy individuals and one participant with limb loss, this can improve the precision of prosthetic movements. Questions for Johanna Happold, who conducts research under the ‘Healthcare and Rehabilitation Robotics’ professorship led by Prof. Cristina Piazza. [read more]

From 1–5 June 2026, Vienna will host the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), the flagship event of the global robotics community. Researchers and industry leaders will present the latest advances in autonomous systems, AI, and robotics. The Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI) will contribute with numerous workshops and tutorials, bringing key insights from TUM’s robotics research to the international stage. [read more]

It is cyber-secure, cloud-independent, calculates like the human brain (neuromorphic), is based on 7 nm technology and is the first AI chip ever developed at a university in the EU. Two and a half years after Prof. Hussam Amrouch presented the concept in the journal Nature, the chip is now complete. ‘An important step towards technological self-determination in Europe,’ says TUM President Thomas Hofmann. [read more]

An underwater robot that collects trash, an AI chip that is independent of the cloud, and a brain chip that enables paralyzed people to move again: these are the ten best contributions to robotics from the last year of research, sorted by their reach in the national and international media landscape. [read more]

Intelligent robotic systems are primarily designed to make people's everyday lives easier and processes more efficient. Military conflicts around the world are increasing the need for security, adequate defense and support in the event of an attack. The field of robotics is expected to play a significant role in this area. The Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence at the Technical University of Munich (TUM MIRMI) has now created a new research field: Robotics and AI for Security, Defense and Aerospace. This new research line was presented at the meeting of the TUM MIRMI… [read more]

A research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), together with partners from the mobility and chip sectors, has developed a new software architecture that could reshape how autonomous vehicles operate. [read more]