The HERMES AWARD 2021 goes to Bosch Rexroth . The company wins the prize with the world's first electrical actuator for controlling process valves under water. The jury selected the product SVA R2 (Subsea Valve Actuator), which is the world's first electrical actuator for controlling process valves under water. The SVA R2 offers an energy-efficient and safe alternative to the actuators previously used in offshore oil and gas production.

SVA are self-sufficient assemblies with their own fluid circuit and a variable-speed pump drive. The central unit and the kilometers of lines for the fluid are no longer required. This also greatly minimizes environmental risks. The SVA only require a power supply and a data line. A displacement control regulates the flow rate from the speed with almost no loss. This simplifies the construction and increases the energy efficiency significantly.

Jury chair and Fraunhofer President Professor Neugebauer explains the selection of the winner: “With the Subsea Valve Actuator, existing electrical supply lines for sensors are sufficient for reliable operation of the actuators. The small dimensions and integrated interfaces provide industry with another advantage, because they enable the new actuator to be used and retrofitted in existing systems.”

The company core sensing wins The HERMES Startup AWARD with its project coreIN, which is a robust and reliable force and torque sensor that records and transmits data directly and wirelessly from a rotating component. This functionality enables integration into various machine elements and components as well as constant component monitoring, which prevents failures and reduces maintenance costs.

Jury chair and Fraunhofer President Professor Neugebauer: “Startups are essential catalysts for innovation. In the international innovation system, they are among the most effective ways of translating new ideas and the latest research results into applications and bringing them to market at high speed. With core sensing, I am particularly pleased to recognize a spin-off that helps companies more comprehensively exploit the diverse potential of digitalization. coreIN is a real enabler and driver here – and a brilliant example of how integrated sensor technology promotes the digitalization of production.”