Photograph by Christoph Neumann courtesy of Ottobock.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has awarded Professor Hans Georg Näder, the president and chairman of the board of Ottobock, Duderstadt, Germany, with the Order of Merit (First Class) of the Federal Republic of Germany. Näder received the award for his commitment to progress in medical technology and for his social involvement.
“Hans Georg Näder has made as third generation of the family Ottobock’s business in Lower Saxony the world’s leading provider of innovative solutions for people with physical disabilities,” said Stephan Weil, the state premier of Lower Saxony, who presented the award. “Always with the focus on the individual—and this applies not only to his entrepreneurial commitment but also to his social involvement. The Tabaluga Haus by HGN in Duderstadt and the Ottobock Global Foundation have achieved outstanding success in their efforts to support children, young people, and families for years.”
“The award, however, does not mean it’s time for me to sit back and relax,” said Näder. “Technological change is progressing rapidly. Digitization and AI [artificial intelligence] are set to make orthopedic fittings even more individual.”
Ottobock is investing in a fully integrated O&P research and fabrication center that combines digital fabrication and AI at its headquarters in Duderstadt.
