MS Wissenschaft launches its 2026 tour
On board: AI conversational partner Elderbot from the Research Centers Environmental Neuroscience and Humans & Machines
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The MS Wissenschaft exhibition ship has begun its 2026 tour in Berlin. As part of the 2026 Science Year, held under the theme “Medicine of the Future,” the ship will travel through Germany, Poland, and Austria. Among the exhibits on board is Elderbot, an AI‑based conversational partner designed to support older adults in their everyday lives.
Elderbot is aimed at people aged 60 and over and illustrates how artificial intelligence can be applied in health and prevention research. The system listens, asks questions, and offers conversational prompts with the goal of strengthening communication skills and counteracting loneliness. It is not intended to replace human interaction or therapeutic support, but rather to complement existing services and lower barriers to social participation.
Elderbot was developed jointly by the Research Center for Environmental Neuroscience and the Research Center for Humans and Machines at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, together with the Department of Psychiatry at Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf. Visitors to the MS Wissenschaft are invited to try out Elderbot for themselves and to engage in dialogue about the opportunities and limitations of AI‑based conversational technologies.
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Until the end of September, the MS Wissenschaft will stop in around 36 cities. Featuring approximately 30 interactive exhibits, the exhibition invites visitors to explore current research and technological developments related to medicine, healthcare, and well‑being. A supporting programme, including workshops for school classes, complements the exhibition. Admission is free.
The MS Wissenschaft has been organized by Wissenschaft im Dialog on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space since 2002. The exhibits are drawn directly from ongoing research, including contributions from institutions of the Max Planck Society.
Tour dates of the ship for Berlin, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg–Vorpommern
- 07.05. - 10.05. Berlin
- 11.05. - 13.05. Oranienburg
- 15.05. - 18.05. Schiffshebewerk Niederfinow
- 19.05. - 21.05. Schwedt
- 23.05. - 25.05. Stettin
- 27.05. - 29.05. Ueckermünde
- 30.05. - 03.06. Anklam
- 04.06. - 07.06. Wolgast
- 11.06. - 14.06. Potsdam
- 15.06. - 18.06. Brandenburg an der Havel
More information and additional tour dates across Germany and Austria can be found on the MS Wissenschaft website.
