What will cooperation, cooperative venture, partnership, collaboration with humanoid robots look like in the future? This question was addressed by interdisciplinary teams at the "Technikon" on June 4, 2025 in Ulm - an innovative event format of the inter-university [Adjektiv] joint project StartupSÜD, which promotes creative solutions for real challenges. The start-up campus of Aalen University of Applied Sciences was also actively involved as a joint partner and provided active support for the challenge.
At Technikon, which was hosted by Ulm University of Applied Sciences, over 50 participants - students, staff and Professors / Professors - developed new solutions to current social and technical questions in a very short space of time. In the style of a hackathon, the teams worked intensively in the late afternoon and evening on a total of ten different challenges - including topics such as marine protection, KO drop prevention and indoor greening.
The challenge brought in by Aalen University of Applied Sciences was:
"Humanoid robots in households, industry and agriculture - How will we work together in the future?"
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Feldmann, together with his academic staff member Hamid Reza Saadati and Christian Kling from the start-up campus of Aalen University of Applied Sciences, was on site as the challenge sponsor. Three interdisciplinary teams from the institutions of higher education in Aalen, Ulm, Biberach and HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd developed exciting concepts for the sensible use of humanoid robots in everyday life at home, in industry and in agriculture in a very short space of time.
After the intensive hours of concept development, the teams pitched their ideas in short presentations. The most convincing solutions were awarded prizes - accompanied by a relaxed get-together with a food truck, which provided space for exchange, reflection and new ideas.
Lisa, a participant from Aalen University of Applied Sciences, had a positive summary:
"I really enjoyed taking part in the Technikon. It was an exciting and new experience to work on real challenges with students from other subject areas and even other institutions of higher education. I would love to take part again next time!"
StartupSÜD is a joint project of the regional institutions of higher education in Biberach, Neu-Ulm, Ulm and Ulm University - with the aim of strengthening entrepreneurial thinking in teaching and promoting interest in start-ups at an early stage. The start-up campus at Aalen University of Applied Sciences has recently become another strong partner on board, actively supporting the development and implementation of ideas.
