Cybathlon

The Cybathlon is an international competition organised by ETH Zurich for disabled competitors allowed to use bionic assistive technology, such as robotic prostheses, brain-computer interfaces and powered exoskeletons. It will be the first international competition of this kind,[1] and is scheduled to take place in Zurich, Switzerland, on 8 October 2016.[2][3]

Background

The Cybathlon is presented by ETH Zurich and comes out of a collaboration with the Swiss National Center of Competence in Robotics Research, which intends to use the competition to promote the development and widespread use of bionic technology.[1] Whereas other international competitions for disabled athletes, such as the Paralympics, only permit competitors to use unpowered assistive technology, the Cybathlon encourages the use of performance-enhancing technology such as powered exoskeletons.[1] Registration for the Cybathlon opened in October 2014 and is open until 1st May 2016.[4] A rehearsal event was held in Zurich in July 2015, allowing the participating teams to test and assess their robotic assistive technologies.[5]

Events

The Cybathlon will feature six disciplines – a Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) bicycle race, a Powered Leg Prosthesis Race, a Powered Wheelchair Race, a Powered Exoskeleton Race, a Powered Arm Prosthesis Race, and a computerised race for competitors with paralysis using brain-computer interfaces to compete in a computer game (BCI Race).[1] The competitors, known as "pilots", can use both commercially available bionic technology and lab-developed prototypes.[6] Medals will be awarded to both the athletes themselves and to the companies or institutions that create their bionics.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Switzerland to host the first Cybathlon, an Olympics for bionic athletes". The Verge. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Bionic Olympics to be hosted in 2016". BBC. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Cybathlon". Cybathlon.ethz.ch. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Registration now open for Cybathlon 2016". Robohub.org. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Going for gold: team leap over next hurdle in lead up to bionic Olympics". Imperial College London. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  6. ↑ "Birth of the BIONIC Olympics: Competition will let athletes compete using exoskeletons and even brainwaves in 2016". Daily Mail. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.

External links

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