ITRI Wins Three 2021 R&D 100 Awards

TAIPEI, Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has won three R&D 100 Awards this year with its Software-defined Augmented Robot Joint (SARJ), 3D Printing Biomimetic Materials and Structures for Tissue Integration (BioMS-Ti), and Ubiquitous Water Wand (UWAW). This marks the 14^th consecutive year that ITRI has received the honor of R&D 100 Awards. Other winners this year include world-leading research organizations such as MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

"We've seen much impact in the industries from national laboratories' innovations, and that is one of the things that the R&D 100 Awards is designed to celebrate - inventions that change the world for the better," said Paul J. Heney, VP and Editorial Director for R&D World. "ITRI is clearly a major player in this area and a huge resource of Taiwan's industrial communities," he commented, noting that this year's R&D 100 Awards saw a huge uptake on the number of submissions and winning in 2021 was much tougher.

Vice Minister Chuan-Neng Lin of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) remarked that innovation is the keystone of building a bulwark from the industries, and that the MOEA has always supported organizations in innovating technologies through its Technology Development Programs (TDPs). He notes that many TDPs have received honors at the R&D 100 Awards, and more than 90% of these technologies have been transferred to industries. This shows that Taiwan's innovative spirit is internationally recognized and also creates substantial industry value.

"The R&D 100 Awards serve as one of the most prestigious innovation award programs in the world," said ITRI President Edwin Liu. "Taiwan has eight awards this year, the highest number from Asian participants, and ITRI has won three of these against the strong competition. ITRI is home to 46 of these winning technologies for the past 14 years. This demonstrates that ITRI's research and innovation capabilities are on par with leading global innovators," he said. Dr. Liu added that ITRI's three winners this year are breakthrough tech solutions that address market needs. For instance, SARJ upgrades industries with smart manufacturing capability, the BioMS-Ti implants provide innovative bone materials to fix fractures and ligament damage, and the UWAW allows clean, drinkable water to be collected from the air for people in arid climates. ITRI will continue to develop market-oriented R&D results and explore new opportunities for industries.

View details of ITRI's 2021 R&D 100 winners below:

Software-defined Augmented Robot Joint (SARJ)

ITRI's patented SARJ presents a modern and unique stacking design that features integrated high-power-density electric drive modules. SARJ has the highest torque-to-volume ratio in the industry, with 40% less body weight in comparison to robots of the same grade. SARJ's plug-and-play design also allows users to quickly build up customized and flexible multi-joint modular robots. Nowadays, this technology is used in the high-tech and precision machinery industries, but it has potential to be immersed into business, home appliance and medical fields.

3D Printing Biomimetic Materials and Structures for Tissue Integration (BioMS-Ti)

BioMS-Ti are unique porous and 3D hybrid structures developed by ITRI that can be applied in sports and orthopedic implants for soft and hard tissue integration. The hybrid structures of BioMS-Ti not only allow for tissue ingrowth but also provide necessary biomechnical strengths for different tissues, shortening the rehabilitation protocols for better mobility recovery. BioMS-Ti have been authorized to Ingrowth Inc., and new products including bone screws and intervertebral cages have been launched into the market. This innovative technology platform has tremendous potential in new generation orthopedic and sports medicine applications.

Ubiquitous Water Wand (UWAW)

UWAW is an ultrahigh-efficiency vapor/air separation equipment which extracts clean water from the air we breathe. It provides ultra clean drinking water without water sources, cooling media, or water filters. In conjunction with an air-conditioner, UWAW can also provide buildings with dry air to save energy in air cooling.

About ITRI

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is one of the world's leading technology R&D institutions aiming to innovate a better future for society. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan's industries from labor-intensive into innovation-driven. To address market needs and global trends, it has launched its 2030 Technology Strategy & Roadmap and focuses on innovation development in Smart Living, Quality Health, and Sustainable Environment. It also strives to strengthen Intelligentization Enabling Technology to support diversified applications.

Over the years, ITRI has been dedicated to incubating startups and spinoffs, including well-known names such as UMC and TSMC. In addition to its headquarters in Taiwan, ITRI has branch offices in the U.S., Europe, and Japan in an effort to extend its R&D scope and promote international cooperation across the globe. For more information, please visit https://www.itri.org/eng.

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SOURCE Industrial Technology Research Institute