Tots on Bots is developing the WeeBot, a hands-free robotic mobility device that lets infants and young children with motor limitations begin moving independently. The Ithaca-based startup combines pediatric occupational therapy and robotics expertise, using a research-backed weight-shift control system that responds to a child’s natural lean toward people or objects. Its work is supported by an NSF SBIR Phase I award.
NSF SBIR Phase I Award
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ZiiROBOT MobilityFounded in 2017 by Ohio State University professor Yuan F. Zheng, inventor of the first computer-controlled biped walking robot in the United States, ZiiROBOT Mobility turns robotics research into lightweight mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs and smart robotic furniture. Its OSU Robotics Lab team uses AI-driven controls and a patented modular framework to build mobility products aimed at travel, independence and indoor living. The company also keeps its engineering roots close to customers through direct technical support and repair service.COLUMBUS, OH
Shift RoboticsBorn from work on Pittsburgh’s rough, crumbling sidewalks, Shift Robotics makes AI-powered wheeled footwear that lets people walk faster without learning to skate. Its Moonwalkers use gait-based control and overlapping powered wheels to handle everyday urban terrain, while the Austin-based company’s motion-capture lab studies human movement for current and next-generation mobility devices. Shift also vertically integrates manufacturing from machining through surface treatment in-house.PITTSBURGH, PA
Exokinetics, IncFounded by Hall-of-Fame inventor Garrett Brown and Chris Fawcett, Exokinetics designs and manufactures the Zeen, a U.S.-assembled mobility device that helps people move between sitting, standing and walking with supported independence. The West Chester company grew from Brown’s experience watching his father lose mobility, and its team developed the Zeen as an alternative to choosing only between a walker and a wheelchair. Exokinetics also provides fitting, training and ongoing support for Zeen users.WEST CHESTER, PA
HumotechFounded in 2015 as a Carnegie Mellon University spin-off, Pittsburgh-based Humotech develops wearable robotics and mobility technology for prosthetic research, clinical evaluation, and human-movement innovation. Its Caplex® platform lets researchers and clinicians emulate different mechanical behaviors with modular systems, while the company’s FDA-registered Clinical Caplex® System supports data-driven prosthetic-foot trials for people with limb loss. Founder Josh Caputo’s original question—whether robotics could create a better prosthetic foot—still shapes Humotech’s work across the laboratory and clinic.541715PITTSBURGH, PA