At the annual awards of the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria, two of the three "Inventor of the Year" statuettes were awarded to the University.
In the "Electronics and Electrical Engineering" category, in which 13 teams competed, our patent holders and inventors from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering: Prof. Vladimir Lazarov, Assoc. Prof. Zahari Zarkov, Assoc. Prof. Lyudmil Stoyanov, and Eng. Dimitar Spirov, with their patent "System for controlling a photovoltaic system", won first prize.
The inventors from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering: Prof. Georgi Todorov, Dr. Borislav Romanov, Assoc. Prof. Konstantin Kamberov, Dr. Velichko Peykov, and Eng. Nikolai Ganchev, also outperformed the other 5 nominations and, with the patent "Vibrating device for percussion hand power tools with resonant action", became winners in the "Mechanical Engineering and Construction" category.
The control system, led by Prof. Vladimir Lazarov, allows for smooth regulation of the power delivered to the grid during electricity generation from solar radiation. Regulation is necessary in the presence of high solar radiation, which implies high productivity of photovoltaics and restriction of the electrical grid due to low consumption, weak connecting line, charged batteries, lack of buffers, and others. The system avoids switching off modules or the entire photovoltaic system.
The patent from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is a revolutionary solution for the operation of impact hand tools. It finds application in portable impact drilling machines, rotary hammers, and similar devices. The device creates a nonlinear resonant impact system that guarantees maximum productivity. Less energy is consumed in operating mode, and it is very compact and convenient for installation in all types of hand power tools.
Based on the invention, 12 models of hand impact and impact-drilling power tools have been developed and put into production, which find market realization in Bulgaria and the EU.
The "Inventor of the Year" awards are the highest recognition in Bulgaria; they are a sign of respect and appreciation for the work of inventors, breeders, and patent specialists, and illustrate the place of inventions and innovations in all areas of human activity and everyday life. 
