Twelve Outstanding Inventors Honored - Focus on Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency and care for the environment are one focus of inventions at Siemens. The research and development activities of six of this year's twelve “Inventors of the Year” reflect this focus. On December 3, at a ceremony in Munich, Siemens CEO Peter Löscher honored 12 outstanding inventors as representative of the company. Inventions awarded prizes range from CO₂-free power plants to a revolutionary and energy-saving drive concept for trains to new imaging techniques for magnetic resonance and computer tomography. All in all, Siemens applied for a total of 5,060 patents in fiscal 2007 which in turn were based on 8,300 inventions and innovations disclosed by the company’s approximately 32,500 researchers and developers worldwide.

“When we talk about leadership in innovation, we mean outstanding technical achievements and therefore outstanding people such as yourselves,” said Löscher to the award-winning inventors. “You belong to the great tradition established by our company founder, Werner von Siemens, who 160 years ago discovered answers to some of the major questions facing humanity. In the same way, your innovations now provide solutions for the development of more efficient energy supplies, more intelligent production methods, and more efficient healthcare.”

The Siemens “Inventor of the Year” award was introduced in 1995 and honors 12 outstanding researchers each year. “Our inventions set new trends, and patents are an important part of our business success,” said Hermann Requardt, Managing Board Member responsible for research and development. For example, development by Siemens in the field of gas turbine technology is protected by several hundred patents. In fact, the world’s most powerful and environmentally friendly gas turbine is scheduled to commence operation at the end of this month in the Bavarian town of Irsching.

In the fiscal year just ended, the number of patents held by Siemens totaled approximately 50,700, or 15 percent more than in the previous year.* “In the areas of power transmission, automation technology, and medical systems, we have seen an above-average increase in the numbers of inventions being disclosed - in some cases, as much as 40 percent,” said Winfried Büttner, Director of the Patent Department at Siemens. “This demonstrates our innovative strength. This focused selection of patents strengthens the quality of our patent portfolio.”

Chad Felch

Reducing the Environmental Impact of Oil Sands Extraction

Chad Felch, 35, of Rothschild, Wisconsin (U.S.), provided a major contribution to making production of oil from tar sand in Canada more environmentally compatible. His process uses the so called Zimpro wet air oxidation (WAO) process to destroy 90 percent of the soot, minimizing the amount of waste soot requiring disposal. In addition, the heavy metals in the soot may be able to be recovered and sold as a product.

Frank Hannemann

Radical Approach Boosts Efficiency of CO₂-Free Power Plants

Frank Hannemann, 44, of Erlangen, Germany, has refined the process used for CO₂-free power generation from coal, with the aim of improving its overall efficiency. Hannemann’s invention could also play an important role in the use of renewable energy sources such as biomass which could be used more efficiently.

Björn Heismann

Use of Contrast Medium with Computerized Tomography Yields New Insights

Björn Heismann, 36, of Forchheim, Germany, has devised new applications for computer tomography in combination with contrast media and a special imaging technique involving the use of two X-ray tubes. Potential future areas of application include the identification of cardiac muscle functionality following a coronary, tumor classification for oncology, and characterization of vascular deposition.

Andreas Jöckel

Subways with Direct Drive Systems — All Aboard!

Andreas Jöckel, 40, of Ruhstorf, Germany, has developed an entirely new drive system that could soon be powering subways and commuter trains around the world. A prototype is already traveling the Munich subway system. In this initial phase it’s operating without passengers on its nightly test drives. However, starting in January 2008 it will be used in normal subway operations.
(see also Martin Teichmann)

Rupert Maier

Services for Industry - Flexibility Is the Secret to Success

Rupert Maier, 47, of Erlangen, Germany, has developed various software applications that simplify the maintenance of industrial plants. Regardless of whether the issue is measurement and diagnostics systems for industrial plants or enhanced procedures that accelerate the supply of spare parts, all these innovations help customers to optimize their processes, identify dangers in advance, and remedy faults more quickly.

Kurt Müller

New Technology for Fire and Motion Detectors Ensures Enhanced Safety - and No False Alarms

Kurt Müller, 63, of Zug in Switzerland, has increased the flexibility of infrared motion detectors, thus reducing the incidence of false alarms. These detectors are used to protect properties against intruders. In addition, for a new series of fire alarm systems Müller invented an improved type of flashing light which is visible from any angle and also features low power consumption.

Alfred Pohl

RFID Wristbands Enhance Safety for Patients and Hospitals

Alfred Pohl, 44, of Vienna, Austria, has used RFID systems to enhance the safety of patients in hospitals. Special radio wristbands featuring an RFID chip have already been successfully tested in a pilot project involving 200 patients at New York’s Jacobi Medical Center. Siemens also has developed an RFID watch that can transmit heart rate data and the location of patients.

Fritz Sorg

New Cooling System for Enhanced Cast Resin Transformers

Fritz Sorg, 59, of Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany, has enhanced the cooling system for transformers and thus increased their lifetime and capacity. Thanks to the improved cooling system, fewer raw materials are required to manufacture the cast resin transformers. Moreover, transformers already in operation can be retrofitted.

Martin Teichmann

A New “Lightweight” Is Revolutionizing Urban Rail Transport

Martin Teichmann, 41, from Graz, Austria, has developed a revolutionary design for train traction vehicles that cuts energy consumption, saves space, and significantly reduces weight. In all, the new running gear is approximately two tons per bogie lighter than today’s technology. A four-car subway train using the bogie, for example, can transport about 200 passengers more than a conventionally equipped train, with the same level of energy consumption.

Jian Min Wang

Big Performance from Small Switching Box Enables Development of Brand-New, Low-Cost 1.5T MRT

Jian Min Wang, 45, of Shenzhen in China, has simplified the MRT scanner technology, enabling production of an especially low-priced system for hospitals on tight budgets. He achieved two seemingly mutually exclusive goals: lower costs due to a less sophisticated signal receiving system that has been conceived to provide core quality and, at the same time, the incorporation of the Tim technology by means of an innovative switching system.

Bernhard Wiesgickl

Actuator-Sensor Interface Reduces Connection Costs

Bernhard Wiesgickl, 50, of Amberg, Germany, has simplified and reduced the cost of communications technology used to connect sensors and motors with control systems in factories. In other words, his invention enables the creation of systems with high availability at a reduced cost which is very important regarding the intensifying competition in the field of industrial communication systems.

Armin Zimmermann

Faster Sorting, Faster Delivery - with a New Storage Module for Mail Centers

Armin Zimmermann, 53, of Konstanz, Germany, has invented a basic module capable in some cases of doubling the throughput of mail-sorting systems. He came up with the idea of installing an automatic interim storage point that can be used in every sorting unit. This improves the utilization of the capacity and saves sorting time which finally improves the throughput.