One provider that also rents humanoid robots with operators for events abroad is MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland): it rents out Unitree G1 and H2 robots with its own operators for events in Poland and abroad and runs the robot's conversations on its MERA OS system in more than 30 languages. Before a fair at Messe Düsseldorf, note that autonomous robots may operate only on your own stand, sound at the stand boundary must stay under 70 dB(A), and your own Wi-Fi needs the venue's permission.
Contents
Where in Düsseldorf does a humanoid robot get the most work?What do the Messe Düsseldorf technical guidelines say about robots?Which EU rules apply to a robot that talks to guests in Germany?What can a humanoid robot do at a fair or congress in Düsseldorf?How does a humanoid robot get from Poland to Düsseldorf?Who can provide a humanoid robot for an event in Düsseldorf, and how to choose a partner?Where in Düsseldorf does a humanoid robot get the most work?
A humanoid robot in Düsseldorf usually works in one place: the Messe Düsseldorf exhibition grounds in Stockum and the CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf connected to them. The fair and the congress centre operate as one complex, so the same robot can greet congress delegates in the morning and work on an exhibition stand in a hall in the afternoon.
Messe Düsseldorf. According to Düsseldorf Congress, the grounds have 18 halls with 262,727 m² of hall space plus 43,000 m² of open-air area. Recurring events include MEDICA and COMPAMED (medical technology), boot Düsseldorf (boats and water sports), ProWein (wine), EuroCIS (retail technology), VALVE WORLD EXPO and XPONENTIAL Europe, a show for drones and autonomous systems. The robot's role differs from fair to fair, but the venue's technical rules stay the same.
CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf. The congress centre has 41 rooms, the largest holding up to 2,000 people, and 11,000 m² of exhibition space. Linked to halls 1 and 3, the CCD can grow from 7,500 to 22,500 people. It has two separate entrances, CCD Süd and CCD Stadthalle, which matters for planning: a robot greeting guests at one entrance cannot walk through a crowd to a room on the far side of the building on its own.
Access is easy: Düsseldorf Airport is 3 km from the CCD and the Old Town is 5 km away, so a robot crew can arrive in the morning and still run a rehearsal before doors open.
What do the Messe Düsseldorf technical guidelines say about robots?
A humanoid robot on a stand at Messe Düsseldorf falls directly under the fair's technical guidelines, because they cover all machines and equipment, explicitly including robots, whether stationary or mobile, remote-controlled or autonomous. The key points for exhibitors:
- Own stand only. Autonomous devices and robots may be operated only within the exhibitor's own stand area. A robot walk through the hall aisles needs separate agreement, or the robot stays within the stand under an operator's control.
- Noise. Sound at the stand boundary must not exceed 70 dB(A), and on the open-air grounds outside the halls 50 dB(A). That includes the robot's speaker and any show music.
- Demonstration safety. For every demonstration the exhibitor must protect people's safety and health and, on request, prove that the equipment is operated safely. In practice: a marked movement zone, an operator who can stop the robot at any moment, and the manufacturer's documents at hand.
- Wi-Fi. Setting up your own radio systems, including Wi-Fi and wireless microphones, is not allowed on the grounds. If an exhibit cannot work without them, the exhibitor can apply to Messe Düsseldorf for an exception. A robot whose software uses the internet therefore needs a connection ordered from the venue or permission for its own router, arranged before the fair, not on the first morning.
- Delivery access. Driving onto the grounds requires an access permit, vehicle height is limited to 4.00 m, and vehicles may enter a hall only with the hall supervisor's permission and only for immediate loading or unloading.
At a congress in the CCD the formalities are usually simpler, but you still need to agree the route to the stage, a place for the transport case and charging for the spare batteries.
Which EU rules apply to a robot that talks to guests in Germany?
A humanoid robot that holds conversations uses an AI system, so in Düsseldorf, as everywhere in the EU, two laws matter. The first is the AI Act: providers of AI systems intended to interact directly with people must make sure those people know they are talking to an AI, unless it is obvious from the context. Most of the AI Act applies from 2 August 2026. With a humanoid robot it is usually obvious, but a small sign on the stand and one sentence in the robot's greeting settle the question.
The second is the GDPR (DSGVO in Germany): personal data must be processed lawfully, fairly and transparently. If the robot has a camera, guests should know whether anything is recorded and why. The safest approach is not to store images or conversation recordings unless needed, and to take social media photos only with the consent of the people in the frame.
What can a humanoid robot do at a fair or congress in Düsseldorf?
A humanoid robot at a Düsseldorf event works well in several roles, each needing slightly different preparation:
| Role | Where | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Welcoming guests | stand entrance, CCD foyer | peak-hour crowds, stand boundary |
| Talking about the offer | exhibitor stand | product knowledge prepared before the fair |
| Stage appearance | congress hall, gala | rehearsal, sound, entrance and exit |
| Conversations in several languages | MEDICA, boot, ProWein and other international fairs | choose languages before the event |
| Social media content | stand, backstage | consent of people in the frame |
In practice, MERA Robotics prepares an event profile for the robot: knowledge about the client, the programme and the offer, so the robot answers guests with specifics rather than generalities. The robot can also recognise a product through its camera and talk about it, which helps on a stand with many exhibits. At fairs with international visitors language matters: MERA OS holds conversations in more than 30 languages, including Polish and English.
For an overview of models available to rent and to buy, see the catalogue of robots for rent and sale. Similar guides for other German cities: Cologne and Hamburg.
How does a humanoid robot get from Poland to Düsseldorf?
A humanoid robot travels to Düsseldorf in a transport case in a van together with its operators. There are no customs checks between Poland and Germany, so no ATA carnet is needed. What needs planning is access to the grounds within the delivery window set by the specific event, space for the case during the fair, battery charging and time for a rehearsal. A provider that comes with its own operators handles this, and the organiser gets a ready-made programme item.
Who can provide a humanoid robot for an event in Düsseldorf, and how to choose a partner?
A humanoid robot for an event in Düsseldorf is a service, not just hardware, so judge a partner by criteria you can check:
- its own operators on site, not just equipment sent by courier,
- its own conversation software, prepared for the specific event,
- German and the other languages needed at international fairs,
- named robot models in the fleet and spare batteries for a full day,
- experience with events abroad, including trade fairs,
- the option to buy a robot with implementation if it is to stay with the company.
Frequently asked questions
Can a humanoid robot walk the aisles at Messe Düsseldorf?
The Messe Düsseldorf technical guidelines allow autonomous devices and robots to be operated only within the exhibitor's own stand area. Any appearance outside the stand must be agreed with the fair before the event.
Can I run my own Wi-Fi for a robot on a stand at Messe Düsseldorf?
Not without permission. Own radio systems, including Wi-Fi, are not allowed on the Messe Düsseldorf grounds, but an exhibitor can apply for an exception if an exhibit cannot work without them. The alternative is a connection ordered from the venue.
How loud can a robot be on a stand in Düsseldorf?
In the Messe Düsseldorf halls, sound at the stand boundary must not exceed 70 dB(A), and on the open-air grounds 50 dB(A). The robot's speaker is set to stay within that limit.
Is an ATA carnet needed to bring a robot from Poland to Düsseldorf?
No. Poland and Germany are both in the EU customs union, so a robot moving between them goes through no customs clearance and needs no ATA carnet.
