The Kassel team consisting of Prof. Ilija Vukorep, alumnus of the University of Kassel, and Ruben Jubeh, computer science doctoral student at the University of Kassel, has won the first prize in the category "Best Open Innovation Idea" of the internationally oriented "Converge Challenge Open Innovation" idea competition. The "Converge Challenge Open Innovation" idea competition was hosted by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh (Scotland) and sponsored by the so-called Open Innovation Project(www.openinnovationproject.eu), in which the Chair of Information Systems at the University of Kassel is also involved. 

With their innovative idea for an autonomous robot system, the two scientists were able to prevail over competitors from Belgium, England, France, Ireland and Scotland. The "suspended robot assistant" called SQUID can move freely in a room - supported by an installed rope system - and thus assist people in accomplishing a wide variety of tasks. Thus, a variety of possible applications are conceivable: SQUID can be used as a lamp or gripper arm in private households, or in industry and care. The market launch is planned for one year from now. With this innovative idea, Prof. Vukorep and Ruben Jubeh also participated in the Unikat'12 ideas competition and won the VDI special prize. As a winner's prize, the two participants will receive a market research report worth €2000 issued by research institutions involved in the competition.