As the year comes to a close, we would like to thank everyone who has been part of our journey throughout 2025: colleagues, students, collaborators and partners. This year brought new projects, exciting research papers, inspiring collaborations and lots of learning and growth. We are grateful for the trust, support and shared curiosity that drive our work forward. We wish you a joyful Christmas filled with warmth, as well as a New Year full of health and inspiration. We look forward to continuing to explore, build and innovate together in 2026! Happy Holidays and a successful New Year! 🎄

We’re excited to share that Matko Orsag from our lab will be a guest on HRT3’s science show “Znanstveni koncentrat”, 15 December from 1 PM CET. Matko will reflect on the European Space Perspectives colloquium held at FER and offer insights into Europe’s direction in space technologies, as well as Croatia’s role in that story. In case you're interested in robotics, space, or Europe’s technological future, you don't want to miss this conversation.

We’re excited to share a special milestone in the early days of the POSEIDON project! Our brand-new Unitree Go2 Air quadruped robot has officially arrived in the lab! This agile four-legged robot will play a key role in developing POSEIDON’s autonomous multi-robot system for monitoring and protecting marine environments. Equipped to operate on challenging terrain, the Go2 Air will be deployed from a USV using a robotic arm and sent to explore areas inaccessible to drones. The robot will help us push forward research on autonomy, mobility, sensing and coordination within complex maritime environments. We have already got used to our newest resident!

On 20 November 2025, Ericsson Nikola Tesla hosted Inventorium Day, an annual event showcasing the joint research and innovation efforts of Ericsson Nikola Tesla (ENT) and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER). The gathering once again highlighted Inventorium as a vibrant hub where academia and industry come together to shape next-generation technologies. LARICS was proud to present its activities within this interdisciplinary ecosystem. With Inventorium equipped for advanced work in telecommunications, 5G, IoT, intelligent systems, XR, data science, AI, and digital twins, LARICS researchers contributed demonstrations aligned with the lab’s mission of pushing technological boundaries. Throughout the day, visitors explored research prototypes and demos in radio technologies, communication security, open RAN, advanced IoT systems, machine learning, generative AI, and XR-based communication tools. These presentations demonstrated how Inventorium is evolving into a key center for developing complex concepts into tangible solutions—supported by strong collaboration and the active participation of groups like LARICS. Inventorium Day once again confirmed the power of partnership: when industry and academia innovate together, meaningful technologies emerge.

The fifth edition of BIND (Be an Engineer for a Day) , a free series of STEM workshops for primary school students, will take place at FER on 29 November 2025 . Kids can join age-appropriate sessions in Scratch , LEGO robotics , and Arduino , designed to spark curiosity and hands-on learning—no prior knowledge needed. BIND is organised by STEMALICA, FER, KSET, and the ŠUZA program, with support from DTX Technologies. Click for more details: https://www.fer.unizg.hr/novosti/novosti?@=32gf0

FER is once again opening its doors to visitors, mainly high-school seniors preparing to choose their future studies! You can see what we are offering at Open Doors Day on 22 November 2025. Throughout the day, you have the chance to explore the world of electrical engineering, computer science, and ICT through dozens of hands-on demos, interactive exhibits, and meetings with FER’s teachers, researchers, and students. Visit us and find out about study programs, international exchanges, student life, and the many opportunities FER offers to curious, tech-minded young people. LARICS also welcomes attendees with engaging robotics demonstrations, giving future students a glimpse into real research happening at our lab. Alongside LARICS, the event will feature virtual reality experiences, robot interactions, the city’s largest Pong setup, mini rocket launches, mathematical puzzles, Möbius-strip experiments, tangram challenges, Tesla-coil music, and much, much more! We look forward to welcoming many of you as future students and researchers!

In mid-November, Prof. Stjepan Bogdan took part in Breaking the Surface ,  the 17th International Interdisciplinary Field Workshop of Maritime Robotics and Applications—held for the first time in Cyprus and hosted by CMMI. BtS gathered more than 200 participants from 20 countries , bringing together leading researchers, industry experts, and students from fields including marine robotics, marine biology, maritime archaeology, geology, and maritime security. The week-long event offered a rich mix of hands-on tutorials and demos, student competitions, expert lectures, panel discussions, field trips, and cultural evenings. Prof. Bogdan’s participation contributed to the workshop’s mission of fostering collaboration and advancing the state of the art in maritime robotics. This year’s edition set a new benchmark for interdisciplinary exchange, innovation, and community building within the global marine robotics ecosystem.

After starting the program together in Girona, our second-year students, now split between ELTE (Budapest) and UNIZG-FER (Zagreb), reunited in Zagreb for a two-day cross-track workshop full of robotics, innovation, and community. Day 1: Taking to the skies! The first day focused on aerial robotics. Students explored UAV applications through talks by UNIZG-FER researchers and IFRoS alumni, learned about the ICUAS competition, and gained industry perspectives from Gideon (autonomous warehouse robots) and Avyonx (wind-turbine inspection drones). The day ended with insights from the MBZIRC robotics competition. Day 2: Expanding the horizons The second day covered automotive, industrial, and marine robotics with contributions from Autegra, Visage, and CATEC. Students visited top research labs—including LARICS, LAMOR, and LABUST/CoE MARBLE—to experience hands-on work in manipulation, autonomous systems, and underwater robotics. The Zagreb workshop was about much more than lectures—it was about reconnecting. A guided city tour gave ELTE-track students the chance to experience Zagreb’s vibrant culture while catching up with the friends they first met in Girona. This spirit of collaboration is at the heart of IFRoS. And it doesn’t stop here: in December, the UNIZG group will head to Budapest for a follow-up workshop at ELTE, making sure every student enjoys the full range of expertise across our consortium.