TMT
“ The price is super important because we don ’ t only want this device to be in the top hospitals . We want it in every city so any patient has access ”
ABLE Human Motion ’ s Exoskeleton weighs half that of its competitors
ALFONS CARNICERO CO-FOUNDER AND CEO ,
ABLE HUMAN MOTION
ABLE : Using technology to power independence After subsequently completing a Master ’ s in Biomedical Engineering , Carnicero pursued his dream . Working in neurorehabilitation hospital Institut Guttmann on the outskirts of Barcelona – the International Reference Center for rehabilitation of injuries of neurological origin – Carnicero was exposed to the available technologies aiding stroke and spinal cord injury patients in their recovery , but also downfalls in equipment that meant patients ’ needs were not best being met .
“ There was a clear opportunity to innovate in this field ,” he recalls . “ I then went to Hamburg , Germany , working with a company making medical devices and joint implants to learn how a real medical device company actually works .”
From there he met a professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia conducting research with other Spanish universities on building a powered orthosis , or mechanical braces with a motor attached .
“ I saw that project and I fell in love . Together we decided to request a grant to see if there could be a market for such a project .” Carnicero then obtained bankbacked funding to undertake market research to see how well existing solutions were working and how they could best fulfil their needs . “ From there , we saw a clear opportunity to create a company ,” he reflects .
Needing someone to lead the ABLE Exoskeleton – which Carnicero likens to robotic trousers – from wire-riddled prototype to slick commercial product for patients , he then convinced fellow
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