Schunk Wins HERMES AWARD 2024 for AI-Based Innovation

Hannover, Germany – HANNOVER MESSE witnessed the German company Schunk SE & Co KG being honored with the HERMES AWARD at its ceremonial opening on April 21, 2024. Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Germany’s Minister of Education and Research, presented the award in recognition of an innovative AI-based project. The world’s leading trade fair for industry was graced by the presence of Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany, and Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway.

A high-caliber jury chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, President, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, selected Schunk’s 2D Grasping Kit project for this year’s award. This application kit comprises a camera with lens, an industrial PC, AI software, and an application-specific gripper. The innovative nature of the project lies in the generic, AI-based modeling of component variants and the transfer to a smaller training data set, which cuts learning times for recognition. Even under changing light, color, or background conditions, the intuitive user interface enables reliable picking and handling of randomly arranged and non-positioned parts from an infeed conveyor belt, tray, or preparation table. This allows repetitive sorting or logistics tasks to be automated with little outlay.

"Automation is the key to the future for supplying people and industry in our country. Only with sustainable innovations, especially in the spheres of production and logistics, can we successfully master the economic and social challenges of tomorrow,” says Hanselka. “Besides ease of use, the robustness of the development for many of the upcoming automation solutions was a particularly decisive factor behind our decision to select the 2D Grasping Kit for this award. On behalf of the entire jury, I am delighted to congratulate Schunk on winning the HERMES AWARD 2024!"

Image Source: Deutsche Messe AG

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