Gerhard Hirzinger, former Director of the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, was honored with the inaugural CURAC Innovation Award on October 15, 2025. The award ceremony took place during the evaluation of the ForNeRo project at the TUM University Hospital.

The CURAC Innovation Award recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of computer- and robot-assisted surgery. Hirzinger received the award for his lifetime achievements and his extensive contributions to robotics, particularly in the field of medical robotics.

Hirzinger is regarded as one of the world’s leading pioneers in robotics. From 1992 to 2012, he headed the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics in Oberpfaffenhofen, where he played a key role in numerous developments in the areas of space robotics, telerobotics, and medical robotics.

CURAC is the German professional society for computer- and robot-assisted surgery, while the research project ForNeRo investigates the seamless and ergonomic integration of robotic assistance systems into everyday clinical operating room workflows.

If you would like to learn more about Gerhard Hirzinger and his work in robotics, you can find an interview with him on YouTube here.