Director of Robotics Institute at DLR: Serbia has excellent scientists and potential for cooperation

In the past days, Belgrade has been the center of European robotics, and the 34th international conference gathered around 150 researchers, engineers, professors and students from more than 20 countries. One of the world’s leading robotics experts, Dr. Alin Albu-Schaeffer, the director of the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), talked about how robots would shape the future of humanity.

– We develop robots at DLR in order to explore the planets of the Solar System. For example, we are sending a rover to Phobos, one of Mars’s moons. We are also develop humanoid robots which would help astronauts with their work at the space station, and in the future, at stations on other planets too. We also develop robots for fixing satellites in the orbit – Schaeffer emphasized in an interview with RTS.

How can the robots you develop help people and where can they be implemented in the near future - not just in space, but also here on Earth?

– At the moment, there are big demographic changes throughout Europe. Many are retiring, and considerably fewer people are entering the labor market. Due to this, we will soon face a lack of workforce. Robots can help in factories, but they can also help people stay at their homes longer, providing support. For example, getting them a glass of water or helping them catch things from the floor or tall shelves. So, they can extend people’s independence in everyday life. On the one hand, I see great potential in production, in factories - for example, in the auto industry, on assembly lines. But also in medicine and healthcare – he emphasizes.

When asked whether he sees potential in Serbian scientists and engineers getting included in projects which combine robotics and artificial intelligence, he answers affirmatively.

– Yes, Serbia in fact has a big tradition in robotics, starting from the research done by professor Vukobratovic and others here in Belgrade. They have remarkable young scientists, which we were able to see at this conference as well. There is also excellent research infrastructure here, so we have already established cooperation. Some of the professors from Serbia have visited the German Aerospace Center and we continuously cooperate, for example, through European projects – Schaeffer concluded.

Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics at the German Aerospace Center

Alin Albu Schaeffer

director

development of robotics in Serbia