The TUM IdeAward annually recognizes research results that could potentially lead to promising business ideas. This year, the award went to three teams from the fields of medical technology, robotics, and agriculture.
Which research results can lead to a successful product? More than 110 teams from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) applied for the 2019 IdeAward. Ten finalists were given the opportunity to present their ideas. Three teams were selected by the jury as winners.
The IdeAward is awarded by TUM, UnternehmerTUM, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Zeidler Research Foundation, which provides the prize money totaling 37,500 euros.
1st Prize: Dymium
First prize went to Dymium in the medical technology category. The idea: Thousands of people in Germany alone have to be treated for kidney stones every year. These are usually crushed. The problem: The stone fragments must then be individually searched for and removed, which is time-consuming and error-prone. If fragments remain, new stones can develop. Dymium is developing a method to reliably remove the fragments: The pieces of the kidney stone are magnetized with a liquid and extracted from the kidney using magnetic surgical instruments.
The team is highly interdisciplinary: one female student and three male students from the fields of biomedical informatics, physics, industrial design and business administration are preparing to establish a company.
2nd Prize: Modular Robotics
Second place went to Modular Robotics in the robotics category. The idea: For small companies and those that manufacture a variety of products, the use of robots is often too expensive and complex. The Modular Robotics team therefore developed a kind of modular system. A wide range of different robots can be easily assembled from a few modules and converted without much effort. The robots are capable of programming their (new) control systems themselves, making them ready for immediate use.
The Modular Robotics team brings together scientists from the Chair of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Real-Time Systems and students specializing in different areas of robotics and computer science.
3rd prize: Heat detection in cows
Third place went to an idea from the field of agriculture. In cattle breeding, it is important to detect the cows' estrus so that they can be inseminated in time. On larger farms and when the cattle are kept on large areas, this is not possible without technical aids. Devices are often attached to the cows' collars to detect movements that are common during estrus and warn the farmers via radio. Daniel Maier wants to use a sensor there that offers several advantages over conventional technologies: It costs less, is more durable, and uses significantly less energy. In addition to this benefit for the farms, it also makes life easier for the animals: It is only the size of a two-euro coin and therefore weighs less.
Daniel Maier studies electrical engineering and information technology.
