driven magazine archive

It’s important to have people who are there to help others in an emergency, but state-of-the-art technology can play a vital role, too. For successful rescue operations, humans and machines must form a powerful duo. We went on a mission with the team from Swiss Alpine Rescue in Engelberg, Switzerland.

Robots can already be found in many barns. They feed animals, milk cows, and remove manure. But we are only at the beginning of a robotic evolution that is spreading through all areas of agriculture. In future, drones will monitor fields, spray plants with precision, or send important information to robot colleagues on the ground that pull out weeds and harvest fruit.

When the fridge talks to the TV and the mobile phone, then digitization has clearly reached our private homes. However, what about companies? How will Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence change the way we collaborate with our customers? Which services will we be offering in the future? Will there still be people working in the factories? Understand the technical terms used to describe smart factories, and learn why some technologies are longer in the coming than initially hoped for.

An ever-increasing number of people have the means of traveling by air. Planes are becoming ever more efficient – in part due to electric drive systems, which are increasingly replacing the old hydraulic systems. Several hundred drive systems are installed in every modern long-haul airliner these days. In this issue, we show you where they are.

Many of those who decide to become engineers or technicians want to improve the world through technology. There is no lack of creative ideas and start-ups are frequently ideal platforms for implementing these ideas. If all fits together, creativity merges with motivation and hard work in these small and flexible companies. Success then becomes only a matter of time.

Innovation is a word that gets used quite a lot. Everybody wants to be innovative – advanced, intelligent, cutting-edge. However, there is no industry where these attributes are a better fit than medical technology. In this field, more than 12,474 new patents were registered in 2015 alone.

Machines in industrial operations are becoming more precise and intelligent – they can provide direct assistance to people. At the same time, engineers are developing robots that can carry out tasks independently in catastrophe zones. And in Asia, Pepper is driving everybody crazy. The demand is already enormous.

Physicians have been improving our health, our looks, and our lifespan for centuries. The difference from earlier times is that today, they have state-of-the-art tools at their disposal, such as surgical robots and precision tools for complex operations. Researchers are even developing a miniature pump to support circulation. High tech is conquering the operating room – and maxon is an important part of that.

maxon drive systems are used in countless applications, for example, in medical technology, aerospace, or the communications sector. These were also the focus topics in our three issues of driven in 2013. We compiled the best stories, interviews, and technical reports in a “best of” magazine. Read the interview with robot expert Rob Knight, learn how high-tech cameras shoot high-resolution pictures as quick as a flash. Be amazed at how people learn to walk again thanks to state-of-the-art prostheses, and discover what it would be like to live as a little green man on Mars.