Business
Start-ups
sensationAL A small German firm has been quietly developing technologies for the aeronautic, automotive and medical sectors. Now Kinotex Sensor is preparing to move to Luxembourg and has big plans for growth. Text: Aaron Grunwald — Photos: Luc Delflorenne
Space programmes have long relied on robotic arms for construction and maintenance, but Earth’s orbit is not a good place to have an accident. Enter Kinotex (short for “ kineasthic textile”) technology, developed by the Canadian Space Agency and used by NASA as a tactile sensor to prevent robotic arms from striking the International Space Station and space shuttle. A small startup--Kinotex Sensor, currently based in Rheinland-Pfalz but in the process of relocating to the Grand Duchy--has licensed the technology and is developing more down-to-earth applications in the aeronautics, automotive and medical fields. The technology “uses foam and light [optical sensors inside the foam] to sense contact and deformation,” explains Winfried Bindges, the firm’s founder. It acts as a kind of skin for robots, giving machines a sense of touch, or at least the ability to register precise levels and locations of pressure. At the same time, the foam creates a soft outer layer, which prevents injury to humans who may be working in close proximity (see box, opposite page). In addition, automakers BMW and Daimler have tested prototypes of Kinotex-based passenger seat detectors, and found it provides more accurate information to the onboard computer that controls passenger airbag
Winfried Bindges: with robot being tested at the University of Luxembourg
deployment. Similarly, EADS tested prototypes of aircraft seats with Kinotex technology that would let a cabin crew know if all passengers were seated when the “ fasten seatbelt” light goes on. MEDICAL APPLICATIONS In the health technology arena, several North American hospitals and nursing homes already use mattress pads with Kinotex technology (manufactured by the only other company that has licenses
from the Canadian government) that alert staff if a patient has fallen out of bed. In the future, pads may be able to automatically record patients’ weight (which German nursing homes are required to do daily) and identify pressure points so patients are repositioned to avoid bedsores from developing. Medical robots may someday act as an “external skeleton” for humans which would be aid in the rehabilitation of stroke patients, for example.
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08.06.2011 15:08:17 Uhr