The Medical University of Vienna wins renowned 2015 Houska Prize

(Vienna, 24th April 2015) – The renowned Houska Prize 2015 for research goes to the Medical University of Vienna. Oskar Aszmann’s team from the University Department of Surgery won the main prize for its work with bionic prostheses.

The Houska Prize, worth a total of 300,000 Euros, from the B&C private foundation has already been awarded ten times this year. With the Medical University of Vienna (120,000 Euros), the Technical University of Vienna (70,000 Euros) and the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (40,000 Euros), the first three places of the renowned research promotion prize has gone to three universities in the federal capital. Out of the more than 30 submissions nationwide ten teams of researchers were nominated for the Austrian "Research Oscar".

Intuitive information flow between patient and prosthesis
A pioneering further development in the application of bionic upper arm prostheses by researchers at the University Department of Surgery, together with their partner in industry, Otto Bock Healthcare Products, won the day.

Says Oskar Aszmann: "Our research combines biomedical technology with innovative surgery. This makes it possible to employ mechatronic aids as a meaningful replacement for extremities. We have managed to make the information flow between patient and prosthesis intuitive, prompt and reliable. Thus, persons with amputations or congenital deformities can once again regain to a great extent their lost independence."
With this new method wearers of upper arm prostheses can even use fine-motor finger movements once more.

According to Erich Hampel, chairman of the board of the B&C private foundation: "Independence and autonomy in everyday life are very precious. In its work, the Medical University of Vienna demonstrates that the cooperation of top notch scientific research with partners from the business world leads to relevant practical products, which directly and significantly improve the quality of life of many people – in Austria and the whole world. We therefore are very pleased to award the Houska Prize to this outstanding research project."


» Youtube-Video Houskapreis an MedUni Wien