This year, for the 105th National Assembly, the AOPA (American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association) is honouring the high significance of digitalisation in the orthopaedic technology industry for the first time with an award created specifically for this purpose. The award is named after Professor Hans Georg Näder, owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ottobock.

The Professor Hans Georg Näder Digital O&P Care Award honours people who are doing outstanding work in advancing the digitisation of the industry through research, education, new technologies and care solutions. After all, digitalisation is significantly shaping the direction of patient care - with the help of computer programmes for remote or online care, patient data management and 3D printing.

The award is sponsored by the medical technology company Ottobock in honour of Professor Hans Georg Näder and his numerous achievements in the field of orthotics and prosthetics. Professor Näder and Ottobock are committed to helping people around the world maintain or regain their freedom of movement. In doing so, they play a pioneering role in the digitalisation of the O&P industry with their innovative technical solutions. For example, with the first stand- and swing-phase-controlled leg orthosis C-Brace, the 3D-modelled and printed MyFit TT socket or the bebionic hand prosthesis equipped with smart sensors and artificial intelligence.

The inaugural Professor Hans Georg Näder Digital O&P Care Award at this year's AOPA National Assembly went to Dr David Boone for his more than 40 years of work as an innovator, developer and researcher in the O&P field. He is co-founder, chief technology officer and president of Orthocare Innovations. The award was presented by Georgia Näder, member of the Supervisory Board and great-granddaughter of company founder Otto Bock.