Fully Funded Master Scholarships, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Canada

Fully funded scholarships are available for all students from any country commencing study in 2016 (academic year 2016 – 2017) atPerimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics – Canada. Scholarships available for Master degree program at Perimeter Institute. The scholarships will cover full tuition fees, stipend for living expenses, meals, accommodation, laptop, books, health insurance, etc. Scholarships are available for the duration of your study. This is a one year Master course in theoretical physics. Successful graduates will receive Master of Science in Physics and Perimeter Scholars International Certificate.

Level of Education

Scholarships available for Master programs only.

Subjects or Fields of Study

Scholarships available for theoretical physics program.

Amount of Scholarships

All successful candidates will receive full scholarships, such as:

• Full tuition fees
• Accommodation
• Meals
• Travel supplement
• Stipend for living expenses
• Laptop
• Books and materials
• Health insurance

Duration of Scholarships

Scholarships are available for the duration of your study: 1 year.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must meet all the eligibility criteria below:

• Applicants must meet all the entry requirements for Master program.
• Applicants must meet English language entry requirement.
• Scholarships only available for new students. Current students are not eligible to apply.

Number of Scholarships Available

Up to 30 scholarships are available for academic year 2016 – 2017.

Nationality

Scholarships available for all students from any country.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be assessed based on the followings:

• academic transcript, achievements and qualifications
• personal statement
• reference letters
• English language proficiency
• GRE (not required, but will take it into consideration)

How to Apply

You must apply online for the scholarship. There is no application fee!

Please read the guidance and terms of the scholarship program on their website.

Application Deadline

The closing date for this scholarship program is February 1, 2016.

Please take note of the deadline. Late submissions will not be entertained!

Result Notification

Please contact Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics for more info regarding the result.

Important Notes

• This scholarship program is very competitive, with over 400 applicants and only 30 spots available.
• Please read the guidelines available on their website for more info.
• English language certificate is important! They accept both TOEFL & IELTS
•  visit official website:www.perimeterinstitute.ca.

The Swedish Institute Study Scholarships

The Swedish Institute Study Scholarships (SISS) are awarded to students from selected countries for full-time master’s level studies in Sweden starting in the autumn semester 2016. The scholarships cover both living costs and tuition fees.

Accepted Subject Areas: About 600 different study programs at Swedish universities are eligible for a scholarship. Priority will be given to applicants choosing study programmes with an emphasis on gender equality, sustainable development, democracy, human rights or poverty reduction.

About Scholarship

The Swedish Institute Study Scholarships – SISS is the Swedish government’s international awards scheme aimed at developing global leaders. It is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden and administered by the Swedish Institute (SI),

TheScholarships target highly-qualified students and are awarded for studies in Sweden starting in an autumn semester. The scholarships are intended for full-time master’s level studies in Sweden and cover both living costs and tuition fees.

The Swedish Institute is looking for applicants who display both intellectual ability and leadership potential and welcome applications regardless of age, gender and religious beliefs.

Scholarship Offered Since: Longer than 2007

Eligibility Criteria:

The programme offers a unique opportunity for future leaders to develop professionally and academically, to experience Swedish society and culture, and to build a long-lasting relationship with Sweden and with each other.

Ideal candidates are ambitious young professionals with outstanding academic qualifications, demonstrated leadership experience and a clear idea of how a study programme in Sweden would benefit their country.

Applicants must be from an eligible country and have at least two years’ work experience. Applicants must display outstanding academic qualifications and leadership experience. In addition, applicants should show an ambition to make a difference by working with issues which contribute to a just and sustainable development in their country.

Number of Scholarships: Approximately 300 scholarships will be awarded

Scholarship Benefit

The scholarship covers both tuition fees (paid directly to the Swedish university/university college by the Swedish Institute) and living expenses to the amount of SEK 9,000 per month.

The scholarship period cannot be altered or extended beyond the study programme period, nor can the scholarship be transferred to a study programme other than the awarded one.

Duration of Scholarships

The scholarship is intended for full-time master’s level studies of one or two years, and is only awarded for programmes starting in the autumn semester. The scholarship is granted for one academic year (two semesters) at a time. It will be extended for programmes longer than two semesters, provided that the student has passed his/her courses/credits.

Eligible countries: International students especially from developing countries

To be taken in (country): Sweden

Application Deadline: The scholarship application consists of two steps, the first step will be open 1 December 2015 – 20 January 2016, followed by a detailed second step for successful candidates from the first step, 8–13 February 2016.

Scholarship offered annually? Yes

HOW TO APPLY

The application process consists of two steps. The first step will be an online application form from 1 December 2015 – 20 January 2016. Successful candidates will be notified in the beginning of February, and required to submit a detailed application for the second step 8 – 13 February 2016. The two-step application process aims at offering transparency in the selection criteria.

To be considered for a scholarship, you must first both complete your separate application to the master’s programme(s) before the university deadline of 15 January 2016, and pay your university admissions application fee (SEK 900) before 1 February 2016.

Click Here for details .

SCHOLARSHIPS UNDERGRADUATE BACHELOR AND POSTGRADUATE MBA FINANCIAL AID

IFA Scholarships for fashion designers are open for its 2016 / 2017 academic session for applicants Globally. The International Fashion Academy offer scholarships for Bachelor Applicants and Postgraduate Applicants in various fashion design fields at IFA in France.

IFA Scholarships main purpose is not just serving as a trainee programme but it is a programme that prepers any desired applicants to achieve professional fashion design knowledge and skills in major fashion design industries in places like China, France, Turkey and Globally.

All scholarships are open to all domestic and worldwide scholars. All applicants to our scholarships at this level have to be higher institution graduates over 18 years of age. All candidates to our scholarships at this level must be bachelor graduates, alternatively, we accept candidates with history in business Administration, advertising and marketing, Media & Communication and Fashion Design Fields.

The International Fashion Academy Scholarship Eligibility for Undergraduate applicants;candidates are said to be that, applicants who desired to apply for the above named scholarship must be;

• Higher institution graduates over 18 years of age,
• A non-native English speaking applicant in which you are asked to provide a valid IELTS score of 6.0 / above alternatively a valid TOEFL score of 79 / above,

Note that for scholarship to cover the whole 3 years, candidates must be a higher institution graduate meaning that, applicants who desired to apply for the above named scholarship must be;

• A bachelor degree holder, preference would be given to candidates with background in Business Administration, Marketing, Media & Communication and Fashion Design related fields.
• At least 3 years of relevant working experience.
• Non-native English speakers need to provide an IELTS score of 7.0 or above, or a TOEFL score of 96 or above.

The IFA Scholarships are open for Domestic Applicants and International Applicants. The scholarship is for both Bachelors and Postgraduate applicants which could be taken in France.

The International Fashion Academy Scholarships entails with an award grants which worth a full 100% scholarship, half scholarship, a super scholarship of 5000 euros in cash.

Scholarship application due date slated for 31st March 2016.

How to apply for the IFA Scholarships 2016

Applicants are expected to submit 5 important document during their application process. Documents are listed below;

• CV
• Diplomas or Certificate of Registration from the high school
• Grades sheet
• Cover Letter
• An essay on the theme

Click here for more details

Apply For UniCredit & Universities Crivelli Europe Scholarship, 2016-2017

Scholarship Description:

 UniCredit & Universities Foundation offers one Crivelli Europe scholarship – 14th ed. aiming at young graduates in economics, banking or finance who wish to take PhD courses abroad at any university in the world starting from the academic year 2016/17. To pursue the long-standing tradition of UniCredit and reflect its European dimension, UniCredit & Universities Knight of Labor Ugo Foscolo Foundation announces the competition for one European scholarship, in memory of “Giovanna Crivelli”, a young UniCredit employee who died prematurely, aimed at training European researchers through courses of specialization abroad covering theoretical and empirical studies in the fields of economics, banking and finance.

The UniCredit & Universities Foundation awards a Europe scholarship for young graduates who wish to take PhD courses abroad at any university in the world starting from the academic year 2016/17. 

The applicants must be either citizens of all 17 countries where UniCredit is present, with a degree from any university (also outside the geographical area of the Group) or citizens of any nationality with a degree from any European university within the geographical area of the Group. The scholarship amounts to €25,000 for the 2016-2017 academic year, renewable for a second year. All tuition fees for the duration of the scholarship will also be reimbursed. The application deadline is 15 November 2015.

Study Subject(s): Scholarship is awarded in the fields of economics, banking or finance.
Course Level: Scholarship is available to students for pursuing PhD program abroad at any university in the world.
Scholarship Provider: UniCredit & Universities Knight of Labor Ugo Foscolo Foundation
Scholarship can be taken at: Abroad

Eligibility: To be eligible for the competition, applicants must be:
-either citizens of all 17 countries where UniCredit is present, with a degree from any university (also outside the geographical area of the Group) or
-citizens of any nationality with a degree from any European university within the geographical area of the Group;
-have obtained a degree (at least three years in duration) in the fields of economics, banking or finance, with a final top mark, since 30 September 2013; and
-must have good knowledge of the foreign language used in the university courses for which the scholarship will be spent.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Citizens of all 17 countries where UniCredit is present (Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine) or students of any nationality with a degree from any European university within the geographical area of the Group are eligible to apply.

Number of award(s): There is a Europe scholarship available for undertaking PhD program.

Duration of award(s): The scholarship involves enrollment in and obligatory attendance of a PhD program, in line with the candidates’ academic career for the academic year 2016/2017, at any University in the world, and are renewable for a second year. 25% of the sum of the scholarships is paid in advance, 25% on confirmation of the beginning of attendance of the courses and the remainder in two equal deferred installments (one in January 2017 and one in April 2017), without prejudice to the possibility of the sums relative to the individual installments of university fees and any lodging expenses being paid in advance, upon documented request of the recipient.

What does it cover? The scholarship is worth € 25,000 (or equivalent). The sum includes travel expenses and health insurance, and is before tax. Appropriately documented university tuition fees will be paid by the Foundation. The Crivelli scholarship is incompatible with any other scholarship.

Selection Criteria: The Foundation’s Scientific Committee will be responsible for the selection procedure and will identify the winner of the scholarship. The Scientific Committee, appointed by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, is composed of academic experts in economics and finance from the main European countries. The Committee intends to give priority to suitable candidates who will start a PhD in the fall 2016. The Committee may call the candidates for an interview.

Notification: The winner will be selected by the Scientific Committee of the Foundation and will be announced by December 31, 2015.

How to Apply: Candidates may only apply online using the application available on the Foundation’s website. All the documentation accompanying the application must be submitted exclusively online in PDF format and must be written in English.

Online Application, Click Here

Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is 15 November 2015.

Further Official Scholarship Information and Application,Click Here.

About 1, 000 International Students are set to be shortlisted for Heinrich Böll Foundation International Scholarships for Undergraduates, Graduates, and PhD Students to study at Universities in Germany in 2016/17.

Course Areas: Any subject area is applicable.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation grants scholarships to approximately 1,000 undergraduates, graduates, and doctoral students of all subjects and nationalities per year, who are pursuing their degree at universities, universities of applied sciences (‘Fachhochschulen’), or universities of the arts (‘Kunsthochschulen’) in Germany.

Selection Criteria

Scholarship recipients are expected to have excellent academic records, to be socially and politically engaged, and to have an active interest in the basic values of the foundation: ecology and sustainability, democracy and human rights, self determination and justice.

Eligibility

The following general requirements apply to international student applicants (except EU citizens) who wish to study in Germany:

• You must be enrolled at a state-recognized university or college (e.g. Fachhochschule) in Germany at the time the scholarship payments begin.
• You should provide proof that you have already graduated with an initial professional qualification. This programme mainly supports students aiming for a Masters degree.
• You need a good knowledge of German, and require you provide proof of your proficiency. Please note that the selection workshop (interviews, group discussions) will normally be in German. Exceptions (interview in English) are, however, possible.
• Unfortunately, the current guidelines specify that the foundation cannot support foreign scholarship holders for stays abroad in third countries for more than four weeks.
• You should definitely apply for a scholarship before the start of your studies, in order to ensure long-term support and cooperation.
• The Heinrich Böll Foundation cannot award you a scholarship, if you are studying for a one-year Masters degree and were not previously supported by the foundation.
• Applications are possible before you begin your study programme or within the first three semesters.
• Applicants must provide proof that they have been accepted as a doctoral student by an institution of higher education in Germany or an EU country (for doctoral scholarship).

Number of Scholarships: Approximately 1000

Duration of Scholarship: Scholarship will be offered for the duration of the undergraduate, Masters or Doctoral programme

Eligible Countries: International Students

To be taken at (country): Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences, or Universities of the Arts in Germany

Application Deadlines: 2 September 2015 (Autumn) and 3 March 2016 (Spring)

Offered annually? Yes

How to Apply

The application form will be completed online; additional application documents will be submitted as PDF.

Visit the OFFICIAL Webpage

Sponsors: The Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany

University of Toronto MCF Scholarship 2016/2017 for African Students

About Scholarship

If you are a student from Sub-Saharan Africa who has demonstrated your academic talent, are personally committed to giving back to your country, yet face significant economic barriers, then you are invited to apply to The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program.

The University of Toronto and The MasterCard Foundation are pleased to offer The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Toronto to develop Africa’s next generation of leaders.

Thanks to the Foundation’s visionary support, U of T can now provide 67 African students with one of the world’s top-ranked educations—in one of the world’s most multi-cultural cities. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program opens up boundless opportunities for young Africans from economically disadvantaged communities, but with academic talent, potential to lead, and motivation to make a difference. As U of T graduates and global citizens, they will return to Africa with the tools to change lives within their communities and across borders.

Scholarship Offered Since:  2013/2014 academic year

Scholarship Type: Undergraduate Scholarships for African students

Selection Criteria and Eligibility

The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program is open to you if you are a resident and citizen of a Sub-Saharan Africa country. You must be a first-time applicant to the University of Toronto who has not yet begun university study elsewhere. If you are a transfer student, you are not eligible for the Program.

In order to be eligible, you must:

• be a resident and a graduating high school student of a country within Sub-Saharan Africa;
• demonstrate financial need correspondent to that of the lowest two quintiles of your country;
• have very strong academic results within your school system;
• have a record of leadership and extracurricular involvement;
• maintain a strong desire to return to Africa to assist and work towards enhanced regional socioeconomic development;
• be graduating from a recognized secondary school, or have completed the necessary academic requirements; and
• fulfill the necessary English requirements (dependent on country);

Please note that both academic and English requirements differ based on the country and educational system you are coming from.

Number of Scholarships: 67 scholarships will be offered throughout the life of the program

Value of Scholarship

If selected, you will receive a scholarship equivalent to the costs related to attaining a Bachelor’s degree, including travel, tuition, textbooks, housing, food, and living expenses. You will also receive financial, academic, social, and post-graduation support which will enable you to build experiences and competencies critical for academic success.

Duration of Scholarship: for a four-year undergraduate degree

Eligible Countries: Sub-Saharan Africa

To be taken at (country): University of Toronto. Canada

Application Deadline: 10 December 2015

Offered annually? Yes for the next 10 years

How to Apply

To apply for the scholarship and for admission, you must submit an online application.

A completed application includes the following components:

• A completed online application – all applicable sections must be filled out, including contact information, financial information, personal details and responses to essay questions.
• Financial documents – upload a scanned copy of financial documentation.
• Transcript – upload a scanned copy of your secondary school transcript and any other academic information.
• Two references – provide the names and contact details of two individuals who will serve as your referees. We will contact your referees directly and ask them to submit their letter of reference through a secure website.

Visit Click here for details.

5 Step Ways To Survive Schooling Abroad – Steps

1. Study the culture of the country in which you’re going to study extensively before you go. Talk to people from that country by joining a MeetUp group or asking your friends if they know anyone from there. When you know the holidays, worldviews, religion, history, values, and other information about a country’s people, you can better understand and appreciate your time there.

2. Plan your trip to the country before you start school as carefully as possible. Give yourself enough time to secure a visa, finances to live there, find accommodations, etc. Arrive in the country at least a week or two early to get your bearings. You’ll want to know where to purchase food and other daily necessities, where the nearest public transportation point is, how to find your classes when they start, get your class schedule, purchase textbooks, etc.

3. Relax. You want to enjoy your time in the country. Take trips around to check out the local scenery and historical points. Make friends from that country. Don’t get so worked up about school and your work that you miss out on the experience of living in another nation. Remember to actually live. Studying shouldn’t be your whole life.

4. Learn as much of the local language as possible. If your classes are in your native language, but the locals speak another language, it definitely makes the process of learning easier; however, daily conversations with people outside of the classroom can be difficult. Immersion is the best way to learn a language, so take advantage of your time there, and learn the local lingo.

5. Get a job if your visa allows you to. You’ll earn some extra cash for expenses, and you’ll also be able to get a better idea of what life is really like for local residents.

In the end, it’s important to fully experience life outside of your textbooks. Talk to local people, and learn what makes their country so great.

New Zealand Scholarships Aid To People from Eligible African Countries

In 2016 New Zealand Development Scholarships applications can be made online from 1st February 2016. Applications close on 30th April 2016. Any eligible country can apply online.

Eligible countries in Africa include: Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Application deadline:

15 April 2016 (paper application)
30 April 2016 (online application)

Contact:
Postal address:
ATTN: Scholarships
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Private Bag 18-901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand.

Candidates must meet all the scholarship eligibility criteria including:

• Be a minimum of 18 years of age at the time of commencing your scholarship.
• Be a citizen of the country from which you are applying for a scholarship and have resided in that country for at least the last two years.
• Agree to return to your home country for a minimum of two years on completion of the scholarship.

Download the scholarship form.

Win $150,000 in Facebook Internet.org Innovation Challenge in Africa 2016

The Internet.org Innovation Challenge in Africa supports Internet.org’s vision of a connected world. To this end, the goal of the Challenge is to recognize individuals and organizations that are working on internet-based solutions to promote education and economic empowerment in countries throughout Africa.

Five of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are African countries. The challenge hopes to insure that communities in these quickly growing economies are well-equipped with internet technologies for learning and economic empowerment. Internet.org believes that education and economic empowerment will enable equitable economic growth and development in these communities.

The Challenge will encourage the development of apps, websites and online services that provide real value for people under the following pillars:

(1) Learning/Education: Apps, websites or online services that make use of technology to inspire and deliver learning
(2) Economic Empowerment: Apps, websites or online services that help to advance the economic strength and ability of communities

Who is eligible to participate?

Individuals and organizations around the world are eligible to participate so long as their applications, websites or services are designed to meet the needs of the above mentioned categories. (Note: Residents of countries where the United States has trade restrictions will not be eligible. See the “Rules” section above for details.)

Selection Criteria

Entries will be judged based on innovation, impact, scalability and launch-readiness.

• Innovation: How original, groundbreaking or creative is the app, website or service?
•  Impact: Will the app, website or service impact numerous lives in meaningful ways?
•  Scalability: Does the app, website or service scale technically? What percentage of the designated population will it reach? Is the content localized? Is multilingual support available?
•  Launch-readiness: How soon will the app, website or service be publicly available, beyond prototypes and limited trials, if it isn’t already? If it’s already publicly available, how stable and consistent is its performance?

Selection of winners will take place at the judges’ sole discretion.

Prizes

One Innovation Challenge Award prize in the amount of $150,000 USD will be presented to the app, website or service that the judges determine best meets the needs of each of the two categories: Learning/Education and Economic Empowerment (2 awards total).

Each of the Innovation Challenge Award winners will also be eligible to receive more than $60,000 USD in tools and services from FbStart, a Facebook program designed to help early stage mobile startups build and grow their apps.

In addition, two Impact Award prizes in the amount of $50,000 USD will be presented to two apps, websites or services designed for each of the two pillars (4 awards total).

Application period:

 Entry will be accepted from on December 1, 2015 to May 1, 2016. Winners will be announced in September 2016.

How to enter

You may develop your app, website or service on any platform, so long as it works on a mobile device. Keep in mind that the platform you choose will affect your application’s potential reach, which is a consideration in the judging process. In order to maximize your potential reach, consider widely accessible platforms like mobile web and Android. If you are looking for a hosting platform, Parse offers free application tools and limited hosting

Please review the Internet.org Innovation Challenge rules carefully before entering.

Download the PDF

Request a copy by emailing challengerules@Internet.org.

Please send a signed copy of the rules to africa_enterchallenge@internet.org in addition to the application below.

Visit  webpage to apply.

African Education Scholarship

About Scholarship

The University of Westminster UK is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its antecedent institution, the Royal Polytechnic, was founded in 1838 and was the first polytechnic to open in England.

The University of Westminster is offering International Scholarships for full-time Masters degree. These generous awards are aimed at fully funding you if you are from a developing country and will study a full-time Masters degree at the University. Particular preference will be given to you if you can demonstrate how the knowledge you acquire from your studies will aid the development of your own country.

Scholarship Offered Since: Not specified

Scholarship Type: full-time Masters Scholarship

By what Criteria is Selection Made?

First Class Honours degree, financial need and development potential

Who is qualified to apply?

You must be from sub-Saharan Africa and hold an offer for a full-time Masters degree at the University.

Number of scholarships: One

What are the benefits?

Full tuition fee award, accommodation at International Students House, living expenses and flights to and from London

How long will sponsorship last?

For the duration of the masters degree programme

Eligible Countries: Africa

To be taken at (country): University of Westminster, UK

Application Deadline: 03 May 2016

Offered annually? Yes

How to Apply

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Sponsor: University of Westminster.

Autonomous systems – also in space and the deep sea

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Imagine putting on a special suit. You raise your arm, pick up a screw and fix it into place. With a time lag of a few seconds, the precise action you have just performed on earth will be repeated in space – on the Moon, for instance: a robot follows your movements on earth and fixes a screw into place on the Moon. This is also one of the applications for a key field of research in the area of driverless vehicles.

Robots convey human movements

© Annemarie Hirth, DFKI GmbH

Opening the door to the Moon: the DFKI project “TransTerrA”

Admittedly, you won’t find this high-tech suit on sale in any department store (just yet). Indeed, experts do not describe it as a suit but rather as an “exoskeleton”, a wearable robot which a person can don. It conveys the human movements to another system.

The exoskeleton is part of the “TransTerrA” project being carried out at the Robotics Innovation Center of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) at its Bremen facility. Supported by the space agency of theGerman Aerospace Centre (DLR) with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the scientists will be working on special robotic systems until the end of April 2017. The idea is for the technologies and solutions to be able to move autonomously and perform tasks on distant planets or moons.

Autonomous systems are preparing the next journey to the Moon

“We are developing systems that will allow robots to prepare humankind’s next journey to the Moon”, says Jens Mey, research department manager at the DFKI. Manned missions to celestial bodies such as the Moon or Mars have to be preceded by robot missions. As well as exploring the terrain there, such missions are used to make the logistical and infrastructural preparations for the astronauts. “When humans next set foot on the Moon, a robot is to open the door to them, symbolically speaking”, explains Jens Mey. In addition, the autonomous systems are supposed to send information back about the evolution of our solar system.

The concept that the DFKI researchers are working on comprises not only the exoskeleton, but also a number of other components:

• a lander to transport the robot systems to the Moon
• a rover vehicle equipped with a robotic arm which performs the movements made by the exoskeleton
• a shuttle to ensure communication between the lander and the rover
• a “walking system” which can build infrastructure such as buildings on the Moon and can also move across difficult terrain

One thing that is particularly fascinating is that the rover gives physical feedback to the person wearing the exoskeleton: if it bumps into an object, the person back on earth will feel it too – and can adjust accordingly.

Applications on earth, too

The research project is of interest not only in terms of exploring moons and planets. “We are also keen to discover whether and how the technologies can be transferred to other areas”, explains Mey. Autonomous robotic systems could be put to very good use in the area of emergency management, for example, being used after an avalanche to navigate the terrain by remote control, or to carry away rubble following a fire.

As Mey points out, it will not be long before exoskeletons are used in medicine, helping for example stroke patients to move actively again.

Eco-friendly retrieval of resources from the seabed

These technologies are also popular in the deep sea, where they help for example to gather manganese nodules. These fist-size nodules weigh about a pound and comprise mainly manganese and iron oxides, and are of interest to the electronics and steel refining industries on account of their copper, nickel and cobalt content. These raw materials are used for example in the electronics industry to produce smartphones and tablets. Remote-controlled underwater robots can collect them ecologically and efficiently.

“Obviously the technologies cannot always be transferred one-to-one to other applications. Robotic systems used in the water have to be watertight, whereas in space it is more a question of their being able to withstand changes in pressure”, explains Mey.

Whether in medicine, in the sea or in space: as far as Jens Mey is concerned, the TransTerrA project is proof that Germany is at the forefront of research when it comes to developing autonomous systems. “We are recognized worldwide as experts in this field.”

Robotics Innovation Center

Scientists at the Robotics Innovation Center develop mobile robot systems to be used for complex tasks on land, under water, in the air and in space. The RIC closely cooperates with the Robotics Group at the University of Bremen.www.robotik.dfki-bremen.de