DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics

With around 100 engineers and scientists, the institute is presumably one of the biggest applied research institutes in the robotics and mechatronics field world-wide; and it has got numerous national and international awards. Essential development and research areas are: Advanced Control System design, multibody dynamics, concurrent engineering, sensor and actuator design, intelligent sensory feedback, man-machine-interfaces, 3D-simulation, telerobotic and telepresence.

Main applications are the development of new ultralight multisensory and torque-controlled robot systems and multifingered artificial hands aiming at use in space as well as in terrestrial service applications. Another key research topic is the remote (tele-) programming and telerobotic control of space robots. Thus the institute was responsible for sending the first remotely controlled robot ROTEX into space (with shuttle COLUMBIA in 93), it also took part in the remote control of the first free-flying space robot, Japanīs ETS VII, and it is preparing the qualification of its newest light weight robot joints on the International space station in the beginning of 2004. In a more general framework, the institute is developing mechatronic actuators, components, and systems not only for advanced (and space) robots, but also for airplanes (e.g. robust flight control systems for AIRBUS) as well as for ground vehicles (brake by wire, steer by wire etc.).

A number of so called spin-off results into the non-aerospace and vehicle fields have raised the institute's reputation even more. The most well-known commercial product out of the institute is the so called SPACE MOUSE, the most popular 3D-man-machine interface world-wide. And the leading German robot manufacturer KUKA has become the world's number 3 in robot sales mainly due to the improvements in dynamics and programming as developed and transferred by the institute. Another example is medical robotics, where the first laparoscopic servoing by a robot was performed in minimally invasive surgery in 1995, and meanwhile a new advanced minimal invasive surgical robot system is going to be developed by the institute, aiming at a European solution for what is offered only by American companies presently.

Hirzinger Gerdgerd.hirzinger@dlr.de
Breitenstein FabianFabian.Breitenstein@dlr.de
Dietrich JohannesJohannes.Dietrich@dlr.de
Hauschild MarkusMarkus.Hauschild@DLR.de
Hulin ThomasThomas.Hulin@dlr.de
Joehl Klausklaus.joehl@dlr.de
Preusche CarstenCarsten.Preusche@dlr.de
Schreiber GuenterGuenter.Schreiber@dlr.de
Sporer NorbertNorbert.Sporer@dlr.de