Medical Robotics Challenge 2.0: Apply now for the KUKA Innovation Award 2025

The new round of the KUKA Innovation Award is all about robotics ideas for the future of medicine and healthcare. The finalists can look forward to a professional appearance at a major trade fair – and €20,000 in prize money for the winner. Teams can now apply with their innovative ideas.

14 March 2024

New technologies relating to robotics and digitization enable gentler and better treatment in medicine and healthcare and help to meet challenges such as demographic change or a shortage of skilled workers.

Robotics has made its way into the healthcare sector and is indispensable today. This applies to everything from diagnostics and surgical procedures on patients to therapy. The possible applications are extremely diverse.

Axel Weber, Vice President of the Medical Robotics business unit at KUKA

The motto of the new round of the KUKA Innovation Award is therefore "Medical Robotics Challenge 2.0", with the focus on robotics concepts for diagnosis, rehabilitation, surgery, and many other forms of therapy. The applicants should look into the future of medicine with innovative and interactive methods to improve health and care.

Major appearance at an international trade fair

An international jury will select the best ideas from all the entries. To implement their concepts, KUKA will provide the finalists with the KUKA Cobot LBR Med for the duration of the competition, which can be expanded with an NDI tracking system or a Roboception 3D vision system. The sensitive LBR Med is specially adapted to medical requirements and is particularly suitable for versatile assistance systems in medical technology thanks to its ability for human-robot collaboration.

The final teams will present their concepts to an international audience of experts at a major trade fair in 2025. The jury will then select the winner of the 20,000 euro Innovation Award.

The KUKA Cobot LBR Med will be provided to the finalists for the duration of the competition. © KUKA Group

The KUKA Innovation Award celebrates its anniversary

KUKA launched the Innovation Award exactly ten years ago. The aim of the robotics competition is to accelerate innovation and strengthen the transfer of technology from research to industry. The award is aimed at developers, graduates and research teams from companies or universities.

All details about the Innovation Award 2025

Apply now

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