Modern technology assists disabled competitors: the first “Cybathlon” special competition in Zürich

PURPOSE The purpose of the study was presentation of modern bioengineering technology in order to help people with severe disabilities. METHODS Bioengineering industry can offer severely disabled people several devices in order to enable them to take part in the competition different than Paralympics. The first international competition for people with disabilities supported by modern assistive technology, such as sensors, motors, displays were allowed to compete in Cybathlon held in Zurich in 2016. About 70 athletes and their teams from 25 countries appeared at the event. RESULTS There were six disciplines (races): 1) Powered Arms (Upper Extremities) Prostheses Race, 2) Powered Legs (Lower Extremities) Prostheses Race, 3) Powered Wheelchair Race, 4) Powered Exoskeleton Race, 5) Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike Race, 6) Brain-Computer Interface Race. About a quarter of the teams represented industry and the rest represented university laboratories. CONCLUSIONS The competition was a success. The organisers have decided for it to be organized every four years, just like the Olympic Games for able bodied competitors. The main inventor of the event professor Robert Riener from Zurich Polytechnic (ETHZ) said assistive technology should: a) be user-friendly b) to function well, c) be affordable, d) to be used within the barrier-free environment.