INNOVACE 2024, ACE Stoßdämpfer GmbH's competition for budding engineers, sets participants the task of developing a device for the improved diagnosis of climbing sports injuries by September 30, 2024. Individuals or teams from electrical and medical engineering, design, mechanical engineering and mechatronics at universities, technical colleges and universities of applied sciences as well as technical schools and technical colleges are eligible.



The medical diagnostics topic is the focus of INNOVACE 2024 because ligament and tendon injuries can occur on hands and fingers, especially during sport climbing. The ring ligaments, which guide the flexor tendons and attach them flexibly to the bone structure of the fingers, are most frequently affected. If overloaded, the ring ligaments can become strained or even tear. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often used for diagnostic purposes. The problem here is that an injury to the ring ligaments is best visualized when the fingers are under strain, but the tools for this have been lacking until now. Visualization and diagnostics could be improved if the same load could be applied to the fingers in the MRI as was applied when the injury occurred. For climbers, this usually corresponds to the load of their own body weight hanging on a climbing hold, for example.





For students who want to aim high



ACE is calling on interested students to develop a technical solution that allows constant forces of up to 1 kN to be applied to patients' fingers in small steps or continuously via a climbing hold. It should be possible to fix the forearm or hand in place and, if possible, isolate it from vibrations such as muscle twitching. A contact surface for the upper body or shoulders should be provided so that patients do not have to hold the applied force during the long recording time. The device must also be adaptable to different arm lengths and hand sizes, and the interchangeability of the handles must also be taken into account. As the design must be suitable for use in the immediate vicinity of the MRI scanner, no magnetizable materials should be used.



ACE is offering prize money of 5,000 euros for the winning team's or individual's design with technical proof of functionality and feasibility. In addition, the accompanying chair will receive support in the amount of 2,000 euros. In the past, INNOVACE winners have also been able to use their victory as a springboard into a career at the STABILUS Group, ACE's parent company.



The call for applications with further details on the requirements and the technical framework conditions can be found on the ACE Stoßdämpfer GmbH website: www.ace-ace.de/de/news-presse/ace-awards/innovace-2024.html



Interested parties can ask questions during a web conference on March 21, 2024 at 3:00 pm. Registrations for this must be sent by e-mail to
d-wohlschlegel@ace-int.eu by 19.03.2024 only. Dieter Wohlschlegel will also clarify any questions in advance at the above e-mail address.