Environmentally friendly materials for filters and sensors, the recycling of valuable raw materials and technologies to improve the efficiency of processes and procedures such as in wastewater treatment – were the central themes of the 8th HZDR Innovation Contest, held on December 10.
A total of six scientists and scientific teams submitted their ideas for innovative (or novel) technologies and applications. For the first time, the competition was divided into two categories: , the Idea Track and the Prototype Track. While the Idea Track focuses on evaluating the basic feasibility of concepts, the Prototype-Track showcased technologies that have already undergone initial functional testing.
The scores of the five-member expert jury were so close that three ideas ended up tied. . For the first time, the audience vote determined the final outcome. Due to the identical scores one first place and two second places were awarded:
1st Place (1500 euros):
Mohd Saif Shaikh, Dr. Shengqiang Zhou and Dr. Yonder Berencén from the Institute for Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Department of Semiconductor Materials
Project: Compact optical dual-band sensors based on silicon for telecommunication applications.
2nd Place (1000 euros)
Dr. Andréa de Lima Ribeiro and the sensors research group led by Dr. Margret Fuchs at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology
Project: HiF Smart sEnsor nEtworK (HiSEEK) for the efficient identification of black plastics.
2nd Place (1000 euros):
Dr. Slawomir Prucnal and Dr. Shengqiang Zhou from the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Department of Semiconductor Materials
Project: Functionalized photocatalysts as filters for wastewater treatment or application in air conditioning systems.
