Engineer of the Year 2019

Rollator robot Lea

Elderly or, for example, Parkinson's patients who lack the strength to walk properly on their own are more likely to be at risk of isolation. The robotics expert wanted to find something for that. Together with her team, she developed Lea (Lean Empowering Assistant), a robot in the shape of a rollator. The robot uses sensors and cameras to stabilise and facilitate walking, measure data and avoid obstacles. In healthcare facilities, Lea can take over some of the tasks of scarce staff. The design was given a lot of thought; it had to look accessible to the user and generate recognition. Lea helps its users regain their freedom of movement and independence.

In addition to the care robot, Rudinac also developed, among other things, an autonomous driving bus for e.g. shuttle transport at Schiphol airport and service robots for in warehouses or in large public spaces. "Maja is a driven and extremely balanced engineer, who masters the many facets of engineering from concept to development. Her work is current, socially relevant and highly innovative. She uses her vast knowledge in the field of robotics to make a difference." said jury president Micaela dos Ramos.