Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc. added a new indication for its robotic Eksonr exoskeleton with a U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance for use of the mobility device in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The green light for MS follows clearances for stroke and spinal cord rehabilitation in 2016 and acquired brain injury (ABI) in 2020.
The rehabilitation robot market will soon have a new entrant as Able Human Motion SL prepares to launch a next-generation robotic exoskeleton. The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya spin-off is on a mission to shake up the exoskeleton technology market with a low-cost, lightweight model that can be accessed by anyone with mobility impairments.
Exoskeleton company Wandercraft SAS has landed $45 million in a series C round led by U.S. fund Quadrant Management. The company’s first commercial exoskeleton, Atalante, received CE marking in 2019 and has sold for around $176,000 a piece to European rehabilitation hospitals offering gait re-learning treatment.
TORONTO – Startup company Stoko Inc. has raised C$6 million (US$4.74 million) in seed funding to accelerate market expansion of a device it said will give rigid knee braces a run for their money.
The FDA has granted de novo authorization to Neurolutions Inc. for its Ipsihand upper extremity rehabilitation system. The first-of-its kind device leverages robotics and brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to facilitate muscle training in patients with upper limb weakness or immobility following a stroke.
TORONTO – Robotics researchers at Ontario’s University of Waterloo are stealing a page from makers of autonomous or self-driving vehicles, developing wearable, motor-controlled technology to restore physical mobility in people with disabilities without the need to think about or guide the system. The project, called Exonet, is being led by Brokoslaw Laschowski, who contrasts this approach with engineers ramping up the ability of users to control the exoskeleton.
B-Temia Inc.’s Keeogo mobility device is on the move in the U.S. now that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. FDA. Unlike currently available exoskeletons that move for patients, the Keeogo (keep on going) Dermoskeleton system amplifies signals from patients who can initiate movement but need additional assistance.
Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc. has received a green light from the U.S. FDA to market its Eksonr robotic exoskeleton for use with patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). The company said it is the first exoskeleton product to receive the agency's nod for rehabilitation use with ABI, allowing a broader patient population to access the device. This is good news for Richmond, Calif.-based Ekso, which, like many other device companies, saw its earnings off during the first quarter.
Like many companies, Rewalk Robotics Ltd. saw its financials hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. It revealed May 28 that its total revenue for its first quarter fell to $0.8 million, down from $1.6 million during the same period last year. The company, which focuses on solutions that give gait training and mobility for individuals with lower limb disabilities, acknowledged the effects of the pandemic, noting that several Rewalk Personal 6.0 devices were not delivered as a result.