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KUKA robots in physics lessons: Project wins Youth Science Competition
Automated tea preparation and a robot integrated into a school pencil case: Sebastian Siewert was enthusiastic about automation technology from an early age. For the "Jugend Forscht" competition, the 15-year-old pupil experimented on a real KUKA robot.
Ilaria Wollek
20 February 2025
Society
Reading Time: 4 min.
Whether in industrial automotive production or in dealing with highly sensitive medical applications - KUKA robots can be used in many different ways. So why shouldn't robots also be able to play a part in school lessons? Sebastian Siewert, a pupil at Katharinen-Gymnasium in Ingolstadt, asked this question. No sooner said than done: with a KUKA LBR iisy conducting scientific experiments in the classroom, Sebastian won first place at the "Jugend Forscht" regional competition in Ingolstadt and qualified for the state competition in Bavaria.
Precise execution: LBR iisy illustrates physics in the classroom
"My idea is to integrate robots into lessons when scientific experiments require a high degree of precision and repeatability," explains the 15-year-old. For physics lessons, Sebastian has programmed two experiments on the collaborative robot (cobot) LBR iisy. To illustrate the topic of "optical lenses", the cobot places lenses with different resolutions so precisely that incident light rays create an image on the projection screen. Students can test different focal points and learn how optical lenses work.
Sebastian's programmed cobot can also measure pH values quickly and easily in experiments. With the automated addition of a pH indicator, the various solutions turn bright colors depending on their acidic or alkaline character. The students can not only observe the experiment, but also answer quiz questions on the teaching topic on a specially programmed website.
Enthusiasm for robots grows through factory tour at KUKA
" I got involved with robots relatively early on and I think automation is great," says Sebastian. He started designing 3D models two years ago. He later taught himself how to program with the help of the generative language bot ChatGPT. As part of the European Robot Week 2023, the pupil from Ingolstadt then had the opportunity to experience KUKA robots up close during an activity day. "I took part in a factory tour on Robot Experience Day. I was able to see the LBR iisy for the first time and was immediately impressed by it," reports Sebastian. "I'm particularly fascinated by the way the LBR iisy is programmed. The programming is really intuitive and it's quite easy to move it to certain places."
Vision of the future: robots in the classroom
Sebastian can well imagine robots being integrated more into school lessons in the future. "The use of robots in lessons offers the opportunity to illustrate topics in real life, that are usually only discussed on paper. This enables pupils to understand the subject matter better," he explains. He plans to continue with robotics after school. His wish is to study mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich. After that, he would like to pursue his enthusiasm for automation - preferably at KUKA.
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