Portrait

One of Turkey’s First Aerospace Engineers: Hakan Altınay

Written by TR Dergisi

The founder of Turkey’s first entrepreneurial research company, Hakan Altınay realized a number of projects in the field of robotics.

Aerospace Engineer Hakan Altınay, who developed Turkey’s first 5-axis industrial robot, was born in 1964 in Istanbul. After graduating from Istanbul Technical University Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Altınay became one of Turkey’s first four aerospace engineers. In 1990, he developed Turkey’s first five degree of freedom robot, ALTINAY 1. He became a research assistant at the university he graduated from. During that period, Hakan Altınay founded Turkey’s first entrepreneurial research company, Altınay Robotics and Automation Limited Company at Turkey’s first technopark ITU TEKMER, established by the Ministry of Industry and Istanbul University. At the technopark, he successfully developed the 6-axis articulated robot with 6 kg-f load-carrying capacity for the industry. In order to make the technology he developed permanent, he parted ways with the university, and founded Altınay Robot Technologies INC. In 1996, the company was recognized by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) as one of the 28 European robot manufacturers.

Altınay, involved in Vision 2023 Science, Technology and Industry strategic studies carried out by TUBITAK, also took part in preparation of R&D Law No. 5746 dated 28/02/2008, drafted by the Ministry of Finance Tax Council in 2007.

A member of various non-governmental organizations, Altınay was also on many NGOs board of directors during establishment. He served in various positions in these institutions. He also served as chairman of the board of directors in some institutions. For example, he was a founder of Industrial Automation Industrialists Association and Prof. Dr. Fuat Sezgin History of Islamic Science Research Foundation. Altınay is at the same time a fellow in Technopark Istanbul’s Science Board, member of Machinery Manufacturers Union Board of Directors and Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association.

Altınay, who has become a prominent figure in his field with the successful technologies he developed, also received many awards. In 1993, he received “JAYCESS” award for the Most Successful Figure of the Year in Science and Technology Development. He was deemed worthy of the “Innovation, Patent and Advanced Technology” Award in Entrepreneurship in 1996, Business Ideas Entrepreneurship Award and High Technology Entrepreneurship Award in 1997. He won the SME of the Year Award in 1998, the “Most Successful Economic Foundation of the Year” Award in 2003, and the SME Grand Prize in 2012.

Altınay is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Altınay Robot Technologies INC.

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TR Dergisi

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