Top inventors honoured at European Inventor Award 2014
The ceremony, dubbed Europe's 'technology and
innovation Oscars', saw Artur Fischer, Germany's 'inventor king' with a
staggering 1,100 applications for patents and utility models, honoured
with the lifetime achievement award.
Fischer is one of the most prolific inventors of all time. His
invention and namesake, the 'Fischer wall plug' revolutionised the
construction industry in 1958 and has been used billions of times around
the world ever since. He is also the creator of the first synchronised
photo flash for cameras and his 'fischertechnik' toy building sets.
Five other finalists, out of an original 300 proposals, also walked
away with awards for their remarkable inventions in the fields of
environmental engineering, mechanics, medical biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals and digitalisation.
From a new TB drug, a quick DNA test and a low-energy water purifier
to the QR code and 3D printing, the inventions honoured in Berlin are
all contributing to our social and economic progress.
An effective drug for TB
Koen Andries from Belgium and Jérôme Guillemont from France, who won
the in the 'industry' category, have developed the first new effective
tuberculosis (TB) drug in 40 years. Their drug significantly reduces
treatment times for TB and achieves a complete cure within a reasonable
period of time. The work of Andries and Guillemont will have a global
impact - TB is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide
due to a single infectious agent. In 2012, 8.6 million people fell ill
with TB and 1.3 million died from the disease.
Low energy water purifier
Danish chemists Peter Holme Jensen, Claus Hélix-Nielsen and Danielle
Keller were awarded in the SME category for their water-purifying
membrane coated with aquaporins, which purifies water without consuming
large amounts of energy. This may prove a life-changing invention for
the 1.5 billion people worldwide who do not have access to clean
drinking water.
The quick DNA test
Christofer Toumazou invented the quick DNA test which can decipher
the genetic makeup of individuals within minutes, without the need for
lab work. This milestone in healthcare was honoured in the research
category at the ceremony. Toumazou's chip can be inserted into a USB
stick, providing results that are viewable directly on a computer. The
stick makes it possible to detect a predisposition for hereditary
diseases as well as to determine whether a patient is capable of
breaking down specific drugs.
3D printing
Charles W. Hull from the US is the inventor of 3D printing - a
technology that has triggered a revolution in manufacturing and is used
everywhere from the automotive industry to medical technology. Although a
multitude of different procedures for 3D printing now exist, they all
build on Hull's original invention, which he came up with back in 1983.
Hull was honoured in the non-European countries category at the awards.
The QR code
Masahiro Hara, Takayuki Nagaya and team are the inventors of the
prolific QR (Quick Response) code. You may be familiar with the code
from posters and ads but it is also used in a range of other spheres -
from managing inventory in factories to tracking biological samples.
Perhaps the most immediately recognisable of all of the inventions
honoured in Berlin, it's no surprise that the QR code received the
Popular Prize award voted by the public.
Source: Community R&D Information Service (CORDIS)