Awards - Inno Award for new plasma printing process
Thin layers printing on metal is possible! Two young scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Research and Technology in Greifswald have been awarded the Innovation Award 2024 for the development of the so-called Plasma-Printing method. This method enables the deposition of ultra-thin coatings in the micrometer scale for materials such as metal, plastic, or paper - layers approximately as thick as a human hair, the Technology Center Association in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern announced at the award ceremony on Tuesday.
This eco-friendly innovation from the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Research and Technology Greifswald also opens up further application possibilities, such as the removal of layers.
More than a dozen creative teams had applied for the industry-crossing prize, which was awarded in three main prizes. The Inno Award is worth a total of 18,000 Euro. "We were looking for innovative ideas and sustainable concepts for products, processes, and services," said Wolfgang Blank, Managing Director of the Technology Center Association, at the event on Tuesday at the University of Stralsund.
App to help people with Tinnitus
The second prize went to a Start-Up team from Erlangen for the health app "tilencio". The app aims to help people suffering from chronic tinnitus, for whom there is apparently still no medical cure. The app allows users to learn more about the disease and alleviate the burden and pain through audio stimulation.
The third prize was therefore awarded to three automation specialists who, as part of their research at the Institute for Applied Microelectronics of the University of Rostock, work on the autonomous control of cranes, forklifts, and other industrial equipment.
Invited to the innovation competition was the Technology Center Association of the five technology centers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with around 360 companies. The nationwide announced prize not only aims to promote the startup scene in the region but also invites creatives from other regions to engage in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
The Plasma-Printing method has been applied to both metal and plastic materials, demonstrating its versatility. The award-winning scientists hail from the Leibniz Institute in the German region of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, specifically in the city of Greifswald. The ultra-thin coatings created by this method are so thin that they're comparable to a human hair's thickness. The Technology Center Association in Germany announced that this eco-friendly innovation could also lead to the removal of layers in certain applications.