Schaeffler, the motion technology company, has been awarded the prestigious Hermes Award for its highly integrated actuator platform designed for humanoid robots. The award was presented during the opening ceremony of Hannover Messe on April 19 by Dorothee Bar, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space, in the presence of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The independent jury, chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, selected Schaeffler from three nominated companies, recognizing the platform's high level of innovation and significant benefits for industry, particularly in integrating mechanical engineering with artificial intelligence.
The actuator platform is specifically engineered for the joints of humanoid robots, addressing a critical cost factor: actuators account for approximately 50 percent of the total costs of humanoids. By developing a scalable and modular platform, Schaeffler aims to make humanoid robots more competitive and ready for large-scale industrial use. The platform integrates highly efficient electric motors with integrated power electronics, high-precision encoders, and flexible gearing options, including two-stage planetary or strain wave gears, depending on customer requirements. An innovative architecture integrates the bearing into the rotor, reducing the installation footprint by about 20 percent and weight by up to 500 grams, resulting in a design up to 10 mm more compact than other solutions while delivering high continuous torque.
Georg F. W. Schaeffler, family shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Schaeffler AG, expressed delight at receiving the award, stating, "For 80 years, our company has been the embodiment of innovative strength and pioneering spirit, qualities that we apply consistently in both our core business and growth segments like humanoid robotics." Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG, added that the award is a testament to the company's engineers and the Motion Technology Company concept, highlighting actuator technology as a key enabler for the breakthrough of humanoid robots, especially when combined with AI capabilities.
Schaeffler plans to begin series production of components for the actuator platform as early as this year, leveraging its decades of experience as an automotive and industrial supplier. The company's 12 core manufacturing technologies, including highly automated winding technology for coils and chipless metal forming for roller bearing rings as thin as 1 mm, enable fast and flexible production ramp-up. The actuator platform will be on display at Booth E60 in Hall 13 at Hannover Messe from April 20 to 24, alongside other innovative key components for humanoid robots and industrial solutions for intralogistics. More information is available at Schaeffler at the Hannover Messe 2026.
This award underscores Schaeffler's key role as a component supplier in the humanoid robotics segment, with the potential to significantly reduce costs and accelerate the adoption of humanoid robots in industrial settings. The combination of space-saving design, high efficiency, and flexible modularity positions Schaeffler's actuator platform as a pivotal technology for the future of robotics.
