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PI Innovation Award 2026 for Researcher at the University of Tübingen: New Sensor Significantly Improves Computer Recognition of Sign Language
Sign language is not just about hand movements. Whether a hand actually touches the face or body often plays a crucial role – and these distinctions are precisely what cameras have struggled to capture reliably.
Dr. Maria-Paola Forte, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen and Stuttgart, has developed a novel sensor to address this challenge. The small device is worn like a wristband and reliably detects when hands touch the face or body. This enables computers to capture sign language far more accurately. The technology has the potential to improve access to digital services for deaf people – for example through more natural sign language avatars or better automatic translations.
“Technological innovation creates its greatest value when it improves people’s lives. The work of Dr. Maria-Paola Forte powerfully demonstrates how excellent research can contribute to greater participation and accessibility. These are exactly the kinds of innovations we want to support with the PI Innovation Award,” says Dr. Michael Albiez, CEO of PI.
Prof. Dr. Thilo Stehle, Dean of the Faculty of Science, adds: “This year’s award winner, Dr. Maria-Paola Forte, prevailed in a highly competitive selection process against numerous candidates from a wide range of disciplines. The faculty received several doctoral theses of outstanding scientific quality and high application potential this year, making the jury’s decision a difficult one. Dr. Maria-Paola Forte has achieved an impressive transfer of innovation: a patent has been filed, a new sensor is already in production, and a spin-off has been established. We are all the more pleased to recognize the exceptional excellence and relevance of her work with this award.”
“Dr. Maria-Paola Forte has closed a critical gap in camera-based human motion capture. Her sensor supplements optical methods with information that cameras alone cannot reliably provide. It is precisely this combination of different measurement principles that makes her work so compelling – both scientifically and technologically,” says Dr. Steffen Schreiber, Director Global Innovation and Scouting at PI and member of the PI Innovation Award selection committee.
How does the technology work?
The sensor developed by Dr. Forte exploits a physical phenomenon in the human body: when a hand touches the face or another part of the body, the electrical resistance between the contact points changes in a measurable way. This change is detected by the wrist-worn sensor. Unlike a camera, the system does not need to see the touch – it detects directly whether actual skin contact has occurred. This allows movements to be captured more precisely, especially for signs where it matters whether a hand touches the face or body, or simply passes close by.
Combined with camera-based methods, the sensor produces significantly more accurate motion data. This improves the automatic recognition and representation of sign language and opens up new possibilities for accessible communication between humans and computers.
The development also shows potential in other fields, such as medicine, rehabilitation, and digital animation. Dr. Forte has already filed a patent for the technology and is working to translate her research into practical applications.
About the PI Innovation Award
The PI Innovation Award is presented jointly by Physik Instrumente (PI) and the Faculty of Science at the University of Tübingen. The prize is endowed with €2,500 and recognizes doctoral theses that combine scientific excellence with practical impact.
About Physik Instrumente (PI)
PI with headquarters in Karlsruhe, Germany, is the market and technology leader for high-precision positioning technology and piezo applications in the market segments of Industrial Automation, Photonics, Semiconductor, and Microscopy & Life Sciences. In close cooperation with customers from all over the world, PI's more than 1,900 specialists have been continuously pushing the boundaries of what is technically feasible for more than fifty years. Various drive technologies, internally developed sensor technology, electronics, and control technology provide the basis for this. PI’s portfolio ranges from components to subsystems to tailor-made complete solutions. More than 560 granted and pending patents underline the company’s claim to leadership in the fields of precision positioning and piezo technology. PI operates on a global scale, with nine production sites in Europe, North America, and Asia, as well as sixteen sales and service subsidiaries. PI has been part of the Hoerbiger Group since April 2026.
Further Information at: www.physikinstrumente.com or www.hoerbiger.com.