events
INNklusion receives Inclusion Award 2024
The INNklusion initiative at the University of Innsbruck was awarded the Austrian Inclusion Prize 2024 in the Technology and Digitalisation category. The prize was accepted by Samet Ersoysal, Oliver Ott, Lennart Ralfs and Katharina Schmermbeck on behalf of the entire INNklusion team at a ceremony in the Kursalon Vienna on 26 November 2024.
INNklusion is an initiative of the Chair of Production Engineering at the Department of Mechatronics at the University of Innsbruck, which is headed by Prof. Dr Robert Weidner. It promotes co-operation between students and people with disabilities in order to jointly develop assistance technologies. The programme combines future-oriented teaching and social commitment, with a particular focus on creativity and interdisciplinary cooperation. The aim is to create solutions that enable a barrier-free future and promote the participation of people with disabilities in society.
"This initiative would not be possible without the valuable support of people with disabilities, whose experience and knowledge are indispensable to us, as well as the dedicated collaboration of our students and university staff. This award is a joint success that could only be achieved through the close cooperation of all those involved," says the INNklusion team.
The initiative shows that inclusion is an ongoing process that shapes a barrier-free future through projects and the cooperation of all those involved. Students are currently working on various projects in the winter semester 2024/25, including a tactile model for the Agnes Heller House that helps people with visual impairments to find their way around better, the design of quiet rooms for students and staff with neurodivergences and low-barrier concepts for the USI sports programme to facilitate access to sporting activities. These projects are just a few examples of how INNklusion integrates the needs of people with disabilities into the design of living spaces and everyday technologies.
Further information and videos are available on the Lebenshilfe website at the following link: https://www.lebenshilfe.at/inklusion/inklusionspreis/" and on the Lebenshilfe YouTube channel.
Lebenshilfe Inclusion AwardINCLUSION
Ars Docendi Recognition Award for INNclusion
Our Chair of Production Engineering was awarded a recognition prize as part of the Ars Docendi 2024 award presented by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research on 10 September 2024 in Vienna. Our course "INNklusion - Assistance solutions for people with disabilities" received the recognition in the category "Society- and sustainability-oriented teaching".
In the course, Master's students work together with people with disabilities on an interdisciplinary basis to develop innovative assistance solutions. Previous projects include a concept for reduced-irritation shopping and a cover-up aid for people with mobility impairments. INNklusion not only promotes the active participation of people with disabilities, but also encourages students to tackle socially relevant challenges. The award is a great honour and confirmation of our teaching approach and motivates us greatly to continue developing INNklusion.
A detailed article on the award and general information on INNklusion can be found here:
Participation in the VDI - MGA student competition 2024
This year's VDI - MGA student competition took place from 26 to 28 April at EOS - the world's largest machine manufacturer for additive manufacturing. We from the Chair of Production Engineering took part with two teams as part of the Production Engineering 2 lecture. This year, a total of 13 teams with almost 100 people from various universities gave an impressive demonstration of their skills. This year's theme was "Robotics". The teams developed new and innovative products for various applications, including a business plan and a marketing strategy.
We are very pleased with the success of our students. Our "Pro Play Analytics" team developed a sports trainer that took first place. The jury also recognised a solid business plan and marketing strategy. The jury also praised the documentation, which, according to the judges, "could compete with investor pitches worldwide". Our team "4Paws4Comfort" has developed active, modular prostheses for animals."
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the hosts (Jette Dietrich, Mariella Breinlinger, Lea Markievicz) and judges (Marc Fette, Linus Tillmann, Bianca Daiminger, Sascha Hartig & Patrick Gerhardt). It was a pleasure to take part and we will gladly return next year.
