The system for automatic design and 3D printing of personalised orthoses and prosthetic limbs based on data from non-contact anthropometric measurements developed at Poznan University of Technology has become the Polish Product of the Future in the ‘Product of the Future of Higher Education and Science Institutions’ category.

In the 24th competition, organised by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development and the National Centre for Research and Development, 163 projects developed by Polish companies and scientists were submitted. Traditionally, prizes were awarded in three categories.

In the ‘Entrepreneur Product of the Future’ category, the main prize of PLN 100,000 was awarded to the creators of the innovative NanoseenX nanomembranes for water purification and desalination, developed by Nanoseen Sp. z o.o.

In the category ‘Product of the future shared by higher education and science institutions and entrepreneurs’, the main prize was not awarded. However, honourable distinctions were given to the Innovative Technology of Bioactive Nanocomposite Particles (ADJ Nanotechnology and Warsaw University of Technology), SkinSENS – new technology in the fight against allergies (Milton Essex SA and the Military University of Technology), and the DCU-HM ultra-fast hybrid circuit breaker for the protection of composite, electric trains (Łódź University of Technology and Zakład Aparatury Elektrycznej WOLTAN sp. z.o.o.).

“The awarded projects allow us to look with optimism at the future of Polish innovations, which until recently remained in the realm of scientists’ imagination. Today, they have taken on a real shape and are a showcase of the capabilities of Polish science and entrepreneurial potential, which by joining forces are able, with success, to conquer global markets”, said Deputy Minister of Education and Science Wojciech Murdzek.

Adrian Andrzejewski