On June 7th, the European Patent Office (EPO) announced its European Inventor Award 2018 winners at a ceremony in Paris, Sain-Germain-en-Laye. This year’s list of winners included four women, the most ever in the history of the award. EPO President Benoît Battistelli stated during the ceremony that, “The inventiveness and creativity of this year’s European Inventor Award winners highlight Europe’s attractiveness as a prime technology region for scientists and inventors from all over the world… The extraordinary achievements of these inventors have made their mark on industries, improved our lives, and opened up opportunities that others could never have imagined.” Commenting on the makeup of the award winners, Battistelli added, “I am particularly pleased to see that this year’s edition recognizes the strong contribution of women inventors in many fields traditionally dominated by men.”
Earlier this year, Medgadget had a chance to speak with finalist Prof. Esther Sans Takeuchi, inventor of the compact lithium/silver vanadium oxide (Li/SVO) battery used to extend the lifespan of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs). Prof. Sans Takeuchi’s contributions ultimately aided in the widespread adoption of ICDs, reduced the number of surgeries required for replacement, and improved patient well-being. Prof. Sans Takeuchi was named winner in the category of Non-EPO countries out of four nominees. Congratulations to Prof. Sans Takeuchi!
The following is the complete list of winners. While this award is not limited to medical inventions, many of the winning inventors and teams represent innovations with important medical applications.
Category: Industry
Winner: Agnès Poulbot and Jacques Barraud (France)
Invention: “Auto-regenerating” tire tread
Category: Research
Winner: Jens Frahm (Germany)
Invention: Faster, real-time MRI
Category: Non-EPO countries
Winner: Esther Sans Takeuchi (United States)
Invention: Batteries to reset the heart
Category: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Winner: Jane ní Dhulchaointigh and her team (Ireland)
Invention: Multi-purpose, moldable glue
Category: Popular prize
Winner: Erik Loopstra (Netherlands) and Vadim Banine (Netherlands/Russia)
Invention: EUV lithography for smaller, more powerful microchips
Category: Lifetime achievement
Winner: Ursula Keller (Switzerland)
Invention: Ultrafast, pulsed lasers
