Eythor Bender, CEO
I have personally assumed the challenge of leading our company toward a transformational shift in mobility to augment the human body. These are exciting times as we propel bionic exoskeletons into the forefront of technologies that are shaping the future of health and medicine. Ekso Bionics is a bionic powerhouse in California. Who better to align with than California’s visionary Singularity University and their executive program called FutureMed? We have forged a partnership to redefine the word ‘disabled’ and to showcase the validity and functionality of how exoskeletons augment human potential.
We are privileged to have FutureMed’s executive director, Daniel Kraft M.D. serving on Ekso Bionics’ Advisory Council. He also serves as the Medicine Track Chair for Singularity University. FutureMed dives deeply into exploring the future of medicine through exponential game changing technologies. Presenting for this influential audience of thinkers and practitioners, has situated us with world class faculty ranging from experts in personalized medicine, mobile health, robotic surgery, artificial intelligence, medical devices, nanotechnology, pharma and more. Our presentation at Singularity U’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California featured two of our Pilot Ambassadors who demonstrated their newfound freedom as they walked in Ekso. I felt as if the audience understood, first-hand, the power and implications of breakthrough technology such as ours.
VIDEO: Ekso Bionics CEO Eythor Bender Presents at FutureMed 2012
Presenting at FutureMed was the precursor to an even more exciting event – Singularity University’s Executive Program at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles on March 3, 2012. In this highly unusual event some of the attendees included innovators, scientists, academics, and entrepreneurs like Vivek Whadhwa (Columnist Washington Post and BusinessWeek), Vinton Cerf (computer scientist and Google evangelist), Dean Kamen (Segway inventor), Carl Bass (Autodesk), Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn Founder), Jim Gianopulos (Fox Filmed Entertainment Co-Chairman and CEO), Elon Musk (Paypal, Tesla and SpaceX) and some big entertainment celebrity names such as Will-I-Am (Black Eyed Peas), Ashton Kutcher, John Cusack and Troy Carter (Lady Gaga’s manager and strategist).
Back Row (L-R): Thomas Dwyer (Field Engineer), Eythor Bender (CEO), Daniel Kraft, Will-I-Am, Kolbeinn Bjornsson (VP Global Sales). Front Row: Ekso Ambassadors Jason Gieser with Sarah Anderson.
Our keynote presentation closed the show with a bang. CNN’s chief business correspondent and anchor Ali Velshi joined us on stage for an interview.
We first introduced our good friend Ali to Ekso (formerly eLEGS) soon after the company’s launch in November 2010 live on CNN’s The BIG i: Ideas, Innovation, Imagination (Watch video). He later noted that our interview combined with a standing hug with Pilot Ambassador Amanda Boxtel was “the best interview and hug ever”.
After the 20th Century Fox presentation, Ali was quoted as saying, “It’s the second time I’ve seen someone who has lost the use of their legs walk with Ekso Bionics’ legs, and I am again moved beyond comprehension.” This was an evening where our technology spoke for itself. We are thankful to Singularity University for this outstanding opportunity.
Ekso Bionics webs human biology with bionics, empowering us to do things thought previously impossible. Our exoskeletons are walking examples of the merger between man and machine.
Our future is now. We are delivering Eksos to the top rehabilitation centers in the US and Europe. The first centers to use our bionic technology to enable patients to walk again in a medically safe environment are chronologically Craig Hospital, Kessler Foundation, and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network. The results have been extremely positive and underscore the success of our journey. Eksos are destined to become a real and functional option for wheelchair users in their daily living.
