Schaeffler, a motion technology company, has been honored with the globally renowned Hermes Award for its highly integrated actuator platform specifically 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 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 and artificial intelligence.
Actuators account for approximately 50 percent of the total costs of humanoids, making them a critical factor in achieving competitiveness. Schaeffler's actuator platform aims to address this by offering highly integrated, scalable solutions that combine innovative technologies, efficient production processes, and extensive modularity. The platform includes rotary actuators for key joints such as shoulders, elbows, and knees, enabling natural movement sequences. It is based on highly efficient electric motors with integrated power electronics and high-precision encoders, and can be configured with two-stage planetary or strain wave gears. An innovative architecture, where the bearing is integrated into the rotor, reduces installation footprint by about 20 percent and weight by up to 500 grams, resulting in a design that is 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, stated: “We are very delighted to receive the prestigious Hermes Award and would like to thank the jury most sincerely. 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: “Receiving the renowned Hermes Award is primarily an accolade for our engineers and product developers, but we also see in it an acknowledgement of the concept of the Motion Technology Company.”
Schaeffler is set to begin series production of components as early as this year, leveraging its decades of experience as an automotive and industrial supplier. The company relies on its 12 core manufacturing technologies, including highly automated winding technology for coils and chipless metal forming for roller bearing rings a mere 1 mm thick. The close integration of development, production and supply chain enables a fast and flexible production ramp-up. The actuator platform will be on display at Schaeffler's Booth E60 in Hall 13 from April 20 to 24. More information can be found at Schaeffler at the Hannover Messe 2026.
The Hermes Award underscores Schaeffler's key role as a component supplier in the humanoid robotics segment and its potential to make humanoid robots ready for large-scale industrial use. By reducing actuator costs and improving performance, Schaeffler's platform could accelerate the adoption of humanoid robots in manufacturing, logistics, and other industries.
