Schaeffler Wins Hermes Award for Humanoid Robotics Actuator Platform
Schaeffler's Hermes Award-winning scalable actuator platform for humanoid robots addresses the critical cost and efficiency barriers to industrial adoption, positioning the company as a key enabler for the technology's commercial breakthrough.
Motion Technology Company Schaeffler has received the globally renowned Hermes Award for its highly integrated actuator platform designed specifically for humanoid robots. The award, presented during the opening ceremony for Hannover Messe by Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space Dorothee Bar, recognizes outstanding products with high innovation and significant industrial benefits, with this year's focus on integrating mechanical engineering and artificial intelligence.
The significance of Schaeffler's achievement lies in addressing a fundamental challenge in humanoid robotics: cost. Actuators account for approximately 50 percent of total humanoid robot costs, making them pivotal for achieving commercial viability. Schaeffler's platform, comprising specially developed actuators for robot joints, represents a key technology for making humanoid robots competitive for large-scale industrial use.
"Receiving the renowned Hermes Award is primarily an accolade for our engineers and product developers," said Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG. He emphasized that actuator technology, which converts energy into mechanical motion, illustrates the potential of Schaeffler's Motion Technology Company concept, especially when combined with AI capabilities to facilitate the breakthrough of humanoid robots.
The technical innovation centers on a scalable platform that integrates electric motors, power electronics, and high-precision encoders, configurable with planetary or strain wave gears. An innovative architecture integrating the bearing into the rotor reduces installation footprint by around 20 percent and weight by up to 500 grams, creating a design up to 10 mm more compact than alternatives while delivering high continuous torque. This combination of space-saving design, high efficiency, and flexible modularity addresses growing worldwide demand for efficient humanoid joint actuators.
Schaeffler will begin series production of components this year, leveraging decades of automotive and industrial supplier experience. The company's 12 core manufacturing technologies, including highly automated winding technology and chipless metal forming for ultra-thin bearing rings, support fast, flexible production ramp-up through integrated development, production, and supply chain processes.
Family shareholder and Supervisory Board Chairman Georg F. W. Schaeffler noted the award reflects 80 years of innovative strength applied to growth segments like humanoid robotics. "With our highly integrated actuator platform, we are setting new benchmarks in this growth area by combining our decades-long technology expertise with our excellent track record in industrialization," he said.
The actuator platform and other humanoid robotics components will be displayed at Hannover Messe, with details available at https://www.schaeffler.com/en/. The award underscores Schaeffler's emerging role as a critical component supplier in the humanoid robotics segment, where efficient, cost-effective actuation technology represents a fundamental enabler for broader adoption.