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The European Peace Ride (EPR) 2025 set off on 11 September. Mittweida University of Applied Sciences (HSMW) accompanied the cyclists on a special train to the starting point in Passau. Also on board the train were representatives from business and academia taking part in the MIKOMI Economic Dialogue – along with the latest extended reality technologies. Anyone interested can experience these technologies once again at the ‘Sattelfest’ in Chemnitz on 13 September.
Early in the morning of 10 September, the Erzgebirgsbahn’s red railcar set off from Chemnitz bound for Passau, this year’s starting point for the European Peace Ride (EPR). Since 2003, the Institute for SME Cooperation at the HSMW – MIKOMI – has been supporting the EPR by organising a ‘rolling’ business dialogue on the special train to the respective starting point – this year to Görlitz and Bad Ischl, the ‘City of Three Rivers’ on the border with Austria.
Alongside the 200 or so cyclists, a 70-strong delegation comprising representatives from the region’s political, business and academic spheres was also on board. The ride, which lasted several hours, provided an opportunity for a variety of engaging activities – including a presentation on the latest extended reality (XR) developments by researchers from Mittweida. The event also focused on ideas and discussions regarding sustainability and social responsibility.
Professor Volker Tolkmitt, Vice-Chancellor of Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, was one of the participants:
The European Peace Ride is all about overcoming boundaries with passion. This is precisely what Mittweida University of Applied Sciences stands for too. The exchange was stimulating and varied. The trip to Passau was, quite literally, a transfer of knowledge from academia to business and society – and, conversely, a good opportunity to find out what companies in the region expect from applied science.
Upon arrival in Passau, the business dialogue continued at the premises of msg systems AG. The highlight was the panel discussion entitled ‘Putting Knowledge Transfer into Practice – How Academia and Industry Benefit from One Another’. Alongside this, a workshop on the topic of ‘Virtual Showrooms in Sales’ took place, organised by members of the Chair of Virtual Technologies at HSMW and the Chair of Ergonomics and Innovation Management at Chemnitz University of Technology. Both chairs are collaborating on a joint research project. The workshop, held as part of the Business Dialogue, provided them with valuable feedback on the practical requirements and expectations of potential users regarding the VR technology presented.
After the cyclists set off on 11 September on their 600-kilometre route, divided into three daily stages, the special train returned to Chemnitz that afternoon.
Aim: To experience XR technologies
For anyone who wasn’t on the train, the collaboration between EPR and HSMW will offer augmented reality experiences at the ‘Sattelfest’ on Saturday 13 September 2025 at the Jutta-Müller Ice Sports Centre in Chemnitz, giving visitors the chance to experience XR technology at first hand. From 10 am to 10 pm, the “Sattelfest” – with free admission – will provide the backdrop for the European Peace Ride’s finish in Chemnitz, featuring a varied programme for the whole family.
The team at the Chair of Virtual Technologies at HSMW combines so-called mass-accurate 3D models – for example, of the globe and the Eiffel Tower – with augmented reality. This allows users to experience both the difference in weight and the difference in size in an authentic way. Where the human imagination reaches its limits when dealing with extreme sizes, distances and weights, the 3D models illustrate the proportional weight of the various objects. HSMW supplements these models with augmented reality to also enable an intuitive understanding of distance and size.
In Chemnitz, we’ll be showcasing our Extended Reality (XR) developments to anyone interested at the Sattelfest and inviting you to have a go. Our programme teaches the basics of the STEM subjects – that is, science, technology, engineering and mathematics – in a fun and engaging way, making it ideal for school pupils, students and teachers,
says Professor Philipp Klimant, holder of the Chair in Virtual Technologies at HSMW.
The European Peace Ride 2025
The European Peace Ride is a joint cycle ride promoting peace and solidarity. In 2025, the three-day main route will run from 11 to 13 September, taking participants from Passau via Plzeň and Ústí nad Labem to Chemnitz, the European Capital of Culture 2025.