Lisbon/Brussels, 10/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - At the European Inventor Award 2016 ceremony in Lisbon on Thursday 9 June, the European Patent Office (EPO) presented awards to five inventors who have made an exceptional contribution to social development, technological progress and economic growth.
Fifteen finalists, grouped in five categories (industry, SMEs, research, non-European countries and lifetime achievement), selected from among almost 400 inventors patiently waited for the final results in prestigious surroundings of Lisbon's MEO arena.
EPO President Benoît Battistelli, accompanied by Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa and European Research and Innovation Commissioner Carlos Moedas, opened the event. This “award ceremony is a tribute to the spirit of innovation and the work of dedicated individuals who through their inventions advance the state of the art for all of us”, he said, adding: “The significance and impact of the work of these inventors underlines the importance of the European patent system for the benefit of economic strength and technological progress in Europe and throughout the world”.
In the “Industry” category, German physicists Bernhard Gleich and Jürgen Weizenecker received the award for laying the foundation for a new category of medical imaging solutions. In the “SME” category, a Danish research team took the award for the ground-breaking application of ammonia in solid form to reduce air pollution from diesel engines and act as an emissions-free fuel. French physicist and neurosurgeon Alim-Louis Benabid took the prize in the “Research” category for revolutionising the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions with the use of high-frequency deep brain stimulation. For non-EU innovations, Robert Langer, took the top prize for the ground-breaking invention of biodegradable plastics that encapsulate powerful anti-cancer drugs for a new level of targeted delivery. Lastly, engineer Anton van Zanten (Germany, Netherlands) received the lifetime achievement award for his landmark contributions to automotive safety systems. (Original version in French by Maëlle Didion)