1998 Engelberger Award winners announced

Citation

(1998), "1998 Engelberger Award winners announced", Industrial Robot, Vol. 25 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1998.04925eab.002

1998 Engelberger Award winners announced

1998 Engelberger Award winners announced

Keywords Awards, Robotics

Ann Arbor, MI ­ Robotic Industries Association (RIA) presented four industry leaders with the 1998 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award, during the 29th International Symposium on Robotics in Birmingham, UK, on April 29, 1998.

Steven W. Holland, Director ­ Controls, Robotics & Welding, General Motors Corporation, wins the award for application. Throughout his 28 years at GM, Holland has spearheaded the development of new robot applications that have greatly expanded GM's use of robots in body shop processes like spot welding as well as more recent advances in robotic fixturing and human assist devices. He has demonstrated that, for many applications, robots are more economical and effective than traditional hard automation. In recognition of his outstanding work, in 1994 he won GM's "Boss Kettering Award", the company's top technical honor. He also serves as a member of the board of directors and executive committee of RIA.

Guy Potok, President, GP & Associates, and a past president of RIA, wins the award for leadership. Potok held several key management positions at FANUC Robotics North America from 1983 to 1995, before leaving to form his own consulting firm. In addition to helping make FANUC one of North America's largest robotics suppliers, he also served as President of RIA from 1993-1995. During his tenure as RIA president, the organization launched several new initiatives, including a series of application-specific robotics workshops that have helped RIA provide vital information to thousands of current and prospective robotics users.

Marco Somalvico, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Politecnico di Milano (Italy) wins the award for Education. Professor Somalvico is the author of more than 120 scientific papers, four books, and a frequent lecturer on robotics in Austria, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Poland, Russia, the UK and the USA. He has represented Italy as a national coordinator at the International Symposium on Robotics since 1978. He still serves as director of The Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Project he founded in 1971 at the Politecnico di Milano (PM-AIR Project).

Kenneth A. Stoddard, Senior Staff Engineer, Trellis Software & Controls, a subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard Company, wins the award for technology development. Stoddard was a co-founder of Trellis in 1987 and the company's Vice president of development until it was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 1996. Previously he was chief architect of the original KAREL robot controller and KAREL robot language while working as a staff engineer at GMF Robotics (now FANUC Robotics North America). Before joining GMF, he was the group leader for robotics activity within the machine perception group at the General Motors Research Laboratories.

"The 1993 Engelberger Robotics Award winners have all played a major role in furthering the global acceptance of robotics technology", said Donald A. Vincent, executive vice president of RIA. "Our industry has benefited greatly from their contributions to date, and looks forward to continued outstanding achievements from each of these men in the future".

Each winner receives a commemorative medallion and a $2,000 honorarium. Named after Joseph F. Engelberger, known throughout the world as "the father of robotics", the awards have been presented to 68 international robotics leaders from 13 countries since 1977.

RIA is now seeking nominations for the 1999 Engelberger Awards. For details on how to submit a nomination, contact RIA Headquarters at 734/994-6088 or e-mail ria@robotics.org.

(Source: IFR)