19.02.2026

Student project: Development and testing for an automated robot that can drill through ice and harvest the liquid below

TU Hamburg students put their “Ice-Breaker” robots to the test against real lab ice—showcasing creativity, engineering, and true teamwork.

Eight teams, four designs, one real ice challenge.

Who is stronger – a self-built robot or solid ice? Eight student teams of the Orientation Studies program at TU Hamburg put their “Ice-Breaker” robots to the ultimate test. After weeks of designing, building, and refining their concepts, the robots faced off against real ice samples – produced in our laboratory – in a live performance test.

The project showcased not only creativity and engineering skills, but also teamwork under real-world conditions.

See also: ZLL and https://www.tuhh.de/orientierungsstudium/startseite