Schaeffler has been awarded the prestigious Hermes Award for its highly integrated actuator platform designed for humanoid robots, the company announced on April 20, 2026. The award, presented during the Hannover Messe opening ceremony, recognizes the platform's innovation in combining mechanical engineering with artificial intelligence. As actuators account for approximately 50% of humanoid robot costs, Schaeffler's solution is seen as a key enabler for making these robots commercially viable for large-scale industrial use.
The actuator platform integrates electric motors, power electronics, high-precision encoders, and either planetary or strain wave gears into a compact module. By integrating the bearing into the rotor, the design reduces installation footprint by 20% and weight by up to 500 grams, while achieving a more compact form factor—up to 10 mm smaller than competing solutions—without sacrificing continuous torque. This modularity allows customization for joints such as shoulders, elbows, and knees, enabling natural movement sequences.
Schaeffler plans to begin series production of actuator components this year, leveraging its 12 core manufacturing technologies, including automated winding and chipless metal forming for ultra-thin bearing rings. The company's experience as an automotive and industrial supplier positions it to deliver high reliability and scalability. Georg F. W. Schaeffler, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, stated, "With our highly integrated actuator platform, we are setting new benchmarks in this growth area by combining our decades-long technology expertise with our excellent track record in industrialization."
The Hermes Award jury, chaired by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft President Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, selected Schaeffler from three nominees. The award was presented by Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bar and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. CEO Klaus Rosenfeld noted, "There’s barely any other technology at Schaeffler that illustrates more effectively the immense potential behind this concept than actuator technology, which enables energy to be converted into mechanical motion."
The platform will be showcased at Hannover Messe from April 20 to 24 at Booth E60 in Hall 13. More details are available at Schaeffler at the Hannover Messe 2026.
