ZURICH — Cybathlon, the-first of-its-kind competition for disabled participants that will use assistive technology, will take place Saturday. Except unlike Olympic or Paralympic Games, robotic technology will be the focus of Cybathlon and not athletic prowess.
Think F1, where pit crews and racing drivers work together to win the races. In Cybathlon, “pilots” will replace drivers and technology developers will replace pit crews. The pilot will need the technology to perform in the race. And the technology teams will depend on the pilot to maneuver the assistive technology to the best of his ability. Together they will compete in six disciplines that will use assistive technology ranging from prosthetic arms, electric wheelchairs to robot exoskeletons.