Espelkamp/Freiburg/Warschau. The Star-Kick scored at the meeting of the „European Robotics Research Network“ (EURON): the high-tech goal kick machine from Espelkamp came top and was thus awarded the „Technology Transfer Award“ in Warsaw. The Star-Kick is a joint project between the Institute of Informatics at the University of Freiburg and adp Gauselmann GmbH, and has now received its second significant award. Back in November last year, the Star-Kick was awarded the Innovation Prize of the Social Democratic Party Germany (SPD) and the Entrepreneur Workgroup of the SPD.
Collaboration Between University and adp Gauselmann GmbH
Together with the team around Thilo Weigel, member of the Institute for Informatics of the University of Freiburg where for years successful research into robotics and artificial intelligence has been carried out, and the Espelkamp entrepreneur Paul Gauselmann, a marketable system was developed from a university prototype. The Star-Kick is a computerized football table robot, which guarantees exciting duels between man and machine. State-of-the-art technology educes a realistic football feel and fun for one or two players: With cameras and sensors the robot monitors the pitch, its opponent and the ball 50 times a second. To the human eye the pitch is green, but transparent for the infrared sensitive camera. The data is transferred to a computer and calculated. Within a split second the robot reacts.
EURON Technology Transfer Award for the Star-Kick
The EURON originated from an idea in 1998 and is a network of researchers from the European Union which was founded by the European Commission. Its objective is to make Europe the number one in robot research and to create a corresponding network which brings together university research and industry at a practice-oriented level and make technology transfer more efficient. The „Technology Transfer Award“ is an especially significant acknowledgement for outstanding collaboration in this sector which has now twice been awarded. In December 2004 the joint project Star-Kick was submitted by Thilo Weigel, along with 9 other European entries for assessment by EURON. After a final presentation the specialist jury evaluated the Star-Kick as an excellent achievement in research and theory in close collaboration with industry. The six-strong assessment jury was made up of experts from research, industry and science. The Star-Kick and a joint project between ABB and the Swedish University of Lundt were awarded the Technology Transfer Award.
„We are proud to have been able to accompany this project from the mere idea through to serial production, and we are delighted that our joint effort has achieved such significant recongnition at European level“, said Dr. Werner Schroer, Development Manager at adp Gauselmann GmbH, and his colleague Christof Niedringhaus.
Further information concerning EURON and the „Technology Transfer Award“ can be found on the web at www.euron.org.
Star-Kick Live at the INTERNORGA
Those who wish to experience the kick robot live and perhaps „throw down the gauntlet“ can do so from 4 to 9 March 2005 at the Gauselmann Group booth (Hall11/Booth 11 EG 11) at the 79th International Fair for the Restaurant, Catering, Banking and Confectionary Trades (INTERNORGA) in Hamburg.