At an official award ceremony held on the evening of 1 December 2010, Germany’s President, Christian Wulff, presented Dr. Peter Post and Markus Fischer of Festo and Andrzej Grzesiak of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) with the 250,000-euro “Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2010”.
Non-hazardous contact thanks to natural compliance
The research team developed the Bionic Handling Assistant within the framework of Festo’s Bionic Learning Network. Its structure and function were inspired by the elephant’s trunk. The flexible assistance system allows humans and machines to work together safely and efficiently as a team for the first time. Possible areas of use therefore include industry, agriculture, the home and even care facilities.
Versatility offers tremendous benefits for society
Launched in 1997, the “Deutscher Zukunftspreis” (German Futures Award) is presented annually to honour researchers and developers who use their creativity and knowledge to develop innovations which improve life and secure our future. The award is one of Germany’s most prestigious scientific prizes.
