KUKA and DLR expand cooperation in medical systems area
Germany's Aerospace Center (DLR) and KUKA AG have signed an agreement that aims to further expand their research and development cooperation
June 10, 2010
The technology being developed by DLR is scheduled to be applied in just a few years in the field of medical surgery. DLR is an important technology partner for KUKA due to the leading role the center plays in research and development surrounding robot technologies. The collaborative effort enables KUKA to develop additional robot applications in the medical applications area and to support a new technology with its existing expertise in the medical area.
According to Dr. Till Reuter, CEO of KUKA AG, "KUKA has successfully entered the medical market by providing robotic products to OEM partners for their therapy and diagnosis businesses. Our existing and future partnership with DLR reconfirms KUKA’s strategic commitment to addressing the increasing demand from our medical OEM partners to apply new lightweight robotic technologies in advanced and high-value-added medical applications.”
Prof. Gerd Hirzinger, Director of the DLR's Institute for Robotics and Mechatronics in Oberpfaffenhofen, said: "We have had a relationship with KUKA that is built on mutual trust for many years. More than anything, it is fed by both parties' high degree of technological expertise. During this time, KUKA developed into a mechatronics company that also has considerable technological expertise outside the field of industrial robotics."