The Golden Plietsch: 10,000 Euros for Smart Bikes

The “BIND: Bike Friend” project receives the Golden Plietsch foundation prize of the University of Bremen. The project aims to use smart bicycles to ensure greater safety and sustainability on the roads. The winners were recently selected at the House of Science.

In reference to the precious “Golden Fleece” – a legendary golden ram’s fleece from Greek mythology – the university foundation, its sheltered foundations, and the alumni association jointly initiated the “Golden Plietsch” award. With a total of 30,000 euros, the sponsorship prize supports bold and innovative projects, which contribute to sustainable development and the strengthening of social cohesion and show that Bremen is taking on responsibility for global affairs and is developing tangible solutions.

Ideas providers were able to apply until September 20, 2021. From the applications, nine projects were then selected for the grand finale at Bremen’s House of Science. Early November, the time had come. Each team had the chance to convince the jury and the audience of their project in a five-minute pitch and win up to 10,000 euros in funding. Around 100 visitors on-site at the House of Science and 60 persons online decided together with a jury of sponsors which of the exciting projects would be awarded the Golden Plietsch 2021. Host Andreas Lieberum, who led through the evening with his uplifting moderation, ensured the best atmosphere in the hall.

And This Is How the Audience and the Jury Decided:

The Golden Plietsch 2021 and with it funding totaling 10,000 euros goes to the “BIND: Bike Friend” project. The project aims to use smart bicycles to ensure greater safety and sustainability on the roads. Dr. Wanli Yu and Professor Alberto Garcia-Ortiz from the Institute of Electromagnetic Theory and Microelectronics (ITEM) at the University of Bremen were the most convincing with their mixture of digital technology and very practical everyday use. The researchers plan to use the prize money to equip bicycles with a smart sensor system that measures current speed and the distance to other road users. If a collision is imminent, the self-learning system warns users with a vibration signal. If you park your smart bike for a longer period of time, the system acts as an anti-theft device and if it detects any unusual movements, it sends an alert to your cellphone.

Second place and 8,000 euros in funding went to the project “Chile: On its Way to a New Democracy?” In cooperation with the bremer shakespeare company, Dr. Eva Schöck-Quinteros from the University of Bremen’s History Department brings the past and present of this South American country to the stage. Some of the topics addressed by the project team are the consequences of the Chilean military dictatorship (from 1973 to 1990) and the trade in raw materials with Germany, which has lasted for more than 100 years, and made many merchants rich – in Bremen also. The project is part of the successful “From the Files to the Stage” event series.

Jury and audience awarded 6,000 euros each to the “From Bremen into Space – Aiming High with Science” and “Radio Hertz-Rhythmus” projects, which shared third place.

Dr. Dennis Philipp and DrChristian Pfeifer from the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) at the University of Bremen want to excite young people about space travel and ensure greater public acceptance of science. Planned activities include a social media campaign, public lectures (House of Science, “Science goes public”), a summer school for high school students, and a mentoring program for students in their first semesters.

In the second funded project, Professor Rita Groß-Hardt, head of the Molecular Genetics research group at the University of Bremen, and her research team, together with award-winning Radio Bremen author Jens Schellhass, and the Bremer Heimstiftung, want to set up a radio station from and for listeners over the age of 70. In addition, school children and students are to be involved in the production. Only music from before 1970 will be played. In addition, there will be fascinating biographies, service tips from the fields of medicine, technology and IT, as well as scientific reports in the Low German language. One of the things, the team wants to use the funding for, is to produce a demo show to attract additional cooperation partners.

The Award Winners at a Glance:

10,000 euros: BIND: Bike Friend/ Dr. Wanli Yu, Professor Alberto Garcia-Ortiz
8,000 euros: Chile: On its Way to a New Democracy? 18th project from “The Files to the Stage” series/ Dr. Eva Schöck-Quinteros, Peter Lüchinger, Marcel Golczyk, Raul Clermont
6,000 euros: From Bremen into Space – Aiming High with Science/ Dr. Dennis Philipp, Dr. Christian Pfeifer
6,000 euros: Radio Hertz-Rhythmus/ Professor Rita Groß-Hardt, Silvia Blum, Jens Schellhass

The Jury:

Dr. Helga Trüpel (University of Bremen Foundation)
Dr. Rita Kellner-Stoll (Kellner & Stoll – Foundation for Climate and Environment)
Senator (ret.) Manfred Fluß (Manfred and Ursula Fluß Foundation)
Iris Spiegelhalter-Jürgens (Iris and Hartmut Jürgens Foundation – Chance at a New Life)
Professor Heinz-Otto Peitgen (Karin and Heinz-Otto Peitgen Foundation)
Dr. Heino Rose (Dr. Heino Rose Foundation)
Reinhard Ahlers, chair (University of Bremen Alumni Network)