As head of the IFR Statistics Department, Gundrun Litzenberger has further developed the 'World Robotics Statistics'. "Gudrun Litzenberger's outstanding commitment has established the International Federation of Robotics as the premier source of global robotics statistics at a time when interest in robotics is growing exponentially," says Jeff Burnstein, President of the RIA. "In addition, Litzenberger has served as a tireless ambassador for our industry around the globe." Litzenberger has worked for the VDMA since 1986. In 2002, she moved to the VDMA Robotics and Automation Association, where she was responsible for statistics. Litzenberger then took over responsibility for World Robotics Statistics in 2003 and has been compiling the annual 'IFR World Robotics Report' since 2005. This study covers all market-relevant activities of industrial and service robots. Litzenberger has been Secretary General of the IFR since 2008. The International Federation of Robotics represents more than 50 manufacturers of industrial robots as well as national robot associations from over twenty countries and was founded in 1987 as a non-profit organization.

The second winner of the 'Engelberger Robotics Award 2018' is Esben Østergaard. As CTO at Universal Robots, he is responsible for the development of collaborative robotic arms. His work has made it possible "for robots to work in applications and industries that were previously considered unthinkable", says Burnstein. "His focus on the collaborative aspect has sparked immense interest, especially among small and medium-sized companies that had previously not even considered robotics," Burnstein continues. Thanks to Østergaard, in 2008 Universal Robots launched the world's first commercially viable robot that can work safely alongside humans without a protective housing. At a time when collaboration between humans and robots was still a novelty, this represented an immense financial risk. However, Østergaard and his team's robot was not only safe, but also light, easy to operate and flexible. For the first time, advanced robot programming has been combined with user-friendly operation via an intuitive tablet interface. This allows users without programming experience to quickly set up and operate the robots. Østergaard also developed the robot's force and safety control system. This ensures that the robot automatically stops operation in the event of a collision with a person and does not cause any personal injury, while complying with the current safety requirements for force and torque limits.

About the 'Engelberger Robotics Award' after Joseph F. Engelberger

Joseph F. Engelberger, considered the "father of robotics", was the founder and president of Unimation - the world's first manufacturer of industrial robots. The award named after him is presented for "contribution to the advancement of robotics in the service of humanity". The prize is endowed with 5,000 dollars and comprises the categories: Technology Development, Application, Education and Leadership.