Garmisch-Partenkirchen – In the geriatronics research center operated by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the Bahnhofstrasse, Bavaria's top politicians come and go.
Science Minister Markus Blume (CSU) was only recently a guest to announce millions in seed capital for the planned campus construction.
Health and Care Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) has now visited the model facility – and also pledged his support.
The lighthouse project that is being developed and promoted in the district town is the assistant robot "Garmi", which can help in a variety of ways in nursing, in geriatric medicine and in general in the health sector.
This starts with simple butler functions and ends with demanding use for telemedicine.
For example, remote diagnoses can be made with the help of a controlled ultrasound examination.
Further expand the use of new technologies in care
The minister allowed the scientists led by Prof. Dr.
Sami Haddadin, the head of the leading Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence, explain the capabilities of the high-tech device at various stations - and even got up close and personal with "Garmi".
Holetschek emphasized the potential of this achievement from Werdenfelser Land: "The technical innovations developed in Garmisch-Partenkirchen can help older people in particular to lead a self-determined life in their own four walls for as long as possible.
At the same time, they can relieve the nursing staff.” According to the lawyer, his goal is to further expand the use of new technologies in nursing.
Because these are a building block to counteract the nursing shortage and to make the nursing profession more attractive.
It is therefore important
that new technologies with nursing benefits are quickly included in the catalog of insurance benefits and that digital competence in the nursing profession is promoted.
With all the progress, however, it must be clear: the use of robotics does not mean that humanity is suppressed.
“We want to achieve exactly the opposite: more freedom and more time for human attention.
Because the focus is and will always be on people,” said Holetschek.
Campus planned near the train station
A small group led by Haddadin has been conducting research in Garmisch-Partenkirchen for several years.
As is well known, the technical university has big plans: A real university operation is to be established, located on the aforementioned campus, which the non-profit Longleif GaPa GmbH wants to create on a development site near the train station.
In addition to the TUM, the Caritas Association Munich-Freising is in the starting blocks as a partner for this research, education and care center.
Construction should start in 2024 – and the opening in 2026.