ifm electronic gmbh wins HERMES AWARD 2005
ifm electronic gmbh wins European Hermes Award for product innovation
ifm electronic gmbh (Essen, Germany), the parent company of ifm efector, was awarded the distinguished Hermes Award at Hanover Fair on April 10, 2005 for their ‘efector PMD’ distance measurement system.
An international jury of experts chose the efector PMD sensor as the winner out of more than 100 applications. The award was presented in the presence of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, and Nobel Prize Academy member Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster. "In view of the excellent applications, the decision of the jury was extremely difficult - but unanimous," stated Wahlster who is also Director and CEO of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and a member of the jury panel.
"This distance sensor represents a genuine breakthrough innovation," stated Prof. Dr. Wahlster. "The completely new principle behind the photonic mixer device (PMD) has been deployed for the first time in an photoelectric, high-precision, mass-produced product," he continued.
The efector PMD is an innovative, low-cost, high-precision system that can serve as the basis for the development of new 3D-applications. The sensor element contains the world's first on-chip, time-of-flight measurement system. The innovation supports improved auto safety, for example, by quickly identifying possible dangers and therefore providing an active safety mechanism.
In addition to the prestige and notoriety, the HERMES AWARD is one of the world's most lucrative technology prizes. "We offered this award to promote a spirit of innovative enterprise," stated Sepp D. Heckmann, Chairman of the Managing Board at Hanover Fair.
Click here to see the efector PMD news release.
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