Science Corner Technisches Museum Wien

Opening of the Science Corner Exhibition - Caring Robots at Technisches Museum Wien

Vienna Museum of Technology presents research projects of the Vienna University of Technology

The use of robots in care is a much discussed future scenario. On the one hand, it could be an important tool to enable an aging population to live a self-determined life in familiar surroundings. On the other hand, there is also the fear that people in need of care will become increasingly lonely as a result and be pushed to the social sidelines. While the technological development of care robots is progressing, they are still only being used to a limited extent in practice. 

What do we want from care robots?
In order to ensure the acceptance of the technology, care robots must be rethought according to the needs of the users. Therefore, the research project "Caring Robots" investigates the possible roles of robots in the complex context of (mobile) care and pays special attention to the involvement of the affected groups. What are the consequences of a caring robot on the quality of life, dignity and autonomy of the cared-for? What effects does the technical support of care processes have for the caregivers? And how should this be designed in a way that is humane, socially meaningful and technically feasible?


The complex questions that unite the fields of robotics, social sciences and computer science require a transdisciplinary research team. In addition to researchers from the Vienna University of Technology and the University of Salzburg and Caritas Vienna, the practice partner for care, the Technical Museum Vienna is also involved in the research project as a non-university research partner and acts as an interface with the public to stimulate social discourse on the topic. 


Insight and participation in the research process
For this reason, the Science Corner of the Vienna Museum of Technology will not only take an in-depth look at the explosive topic of care robots, but will also reveal the first steps of the five-year research project. Museum visitors are also called upon to participate and help shape the project and can provide important input for the ongoing research project, which is funded by the FWF - Austrian Science Fund as part of the #ConnectingMinds pilot program, in a short survey. In addition, researchers are also presented in the Science Corner, allowing visitors to learn more about the different professional fields and career paths in science and research. 


The Science Corner offers a museum stage for current research at TU Vienna.
The Science Corner at the Vienna Museum of Technology, which opened on March 1, 2022, provides a stage for current research projects at the Vienna University of Technology in a presentation that changes twice a year. The starting point was the topic of Industry 4.0, where the Austrian Center for Digital Production of the Vienna University of Technology showed which optimization approaches for the intelligent networking of machines and processes enable a resource-saving circular economy. 


The aim of the Science Corner and the cooperation with the Vienna University of Technology is to give visitors an understanding of the different facets of the dynamic Austrian research landscape and to show which forward-looking technologies are currently being worked on. Central guiding questions are: Which technical innovations will influence our everyday life, our mobility, our industry or our communication in the future? In line with the museum's guidelines, which focus on innovation and sustainability, the Science Corner presents research projects that address socially relevant issues with the help of forward-looking technologies. "With the Science Corner, we present research and technology at the cutting edge and show how the major challenges of our time can be met with visionary ideas and innovative approaches to solutions. In this way, we also want to inspire young people in particular to pursue a career in research, because creative and resourceful minds can make an effective contribution to society in the forward-looking STEM field," explains Director General Peter Aufreiter. 

Since there are always people behind technical developments and advanced research who shape and mold them, the Science Corner also brings the researchers before the curtain. In video installations and the constantly growing gallery of researchers, visitors can gain comprehensive impressions of their everyday research life and experience the fascinating diversity of scientific careers in research. "I am very pleased that with this cooperation we have an additional opportunity to provide insights into the TU Vienna and make technology research more tangible. Technology is not only part of our everyday lives, we help shape our future with it and it offers a variety of different career options," invites Sabine Seidler, Rector of TU Vienna, to the visit.


To illustrate the diversity of research initiatives at TU Vienna, new content is presented in the Science Corner every six months, a wide variety of researchers and career paths are presented, and cutting-edge research results are shared with a broad audience.


More information about the current presentation "Caring Robots" in the Science Corner:
www.technischesmuseum.at/ausstellung/science_corner_caring_robots

Source: APA-OTS, Technisches Museum Wien

Related links:

• https://www.technischesmuseum.at/presse/caring_robots
• https://www.technischesmuseum.at/do_robots_care

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