Automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has received the Hermes Award 2026 for an actuator platform for humanoid robots. The award was presented by Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär at the opening of the Hannover Messe on April 19. The jury, headed by Fraunhofer President Holger Hanselka, selected the company from three nominated finalists.

The focus is on a highly integrated platform for joint actuators that has been specially developed for humanoid robots. Actuators are considered key components, as they account for around half of the total costs of a system and play a key role in determining its performance. This year's award ceremony focused in particular on the combination of mechanics and artificial intelligence.

The platform includes rotary actuators for joints such as shoulders, elbows and knees. Technically, it is based on electric motors with integrated power electronics and encoders for precise control. Depending on the application, the systems can be configured with two-stage planetary or shaft gearboxes. A special design feature is the bearing integrated in the rotor, which reduces the installation space and weight: The space requirement is reduced by around 20 percent and the weight by up to 500 grams, while maintaining a high continuous torque.

Schaeffler relies on twelve core technologies for production, including automated winding processes for coils and chipless rolling bearing rings with a thickness of around one millimeter. Series production of components for humanoid applications is set to begin this year. The aim is a scalable production approach that also enables larger quantities.

"The presentation of the prestigious Hermes Award is above all an honor for our engineers and product developers, but we also see it as an appreciation of the Motion Technology Company's concept: Hardly any other technology at Schaeffler better illustrates the great potential behind the idea than actuator technology, which can be used to convert energy into mechanical movement. And especially in conjunction with the possibilities of AI, it becomes clear that this is a key technology for the breakthrough of humanoid robotics."

The award underlines the growing importance of component suppliers in the field of humanoid robotics. With increasing demand for efficient and scalable drive systems, industrial production capability and cost structure are coming more into focus.