The inaugural Bionic Olympics are set to be hosted in 2016 in Switzerland. Brought to life by the Swiss National Competence Center of Research in Robotics, the idea behind these games is to promote the new development, medical devices and research in the age of augmented humans.
Oscar Pistorius, nicknamed the "Blade Runner," beat out able-bodied Olympians in the 2012 Summer Games in London, bringing about the controversy over the ironic notion that prosthetic legs may give disabled athletes a one-up.
The goal of these games is to match able-bodied human strength, but not to surpass it, with assistive devices like prosthetics commonly used. Athletes will be awarded two categories of medals for each specified event; one is given to the athlete, and the other is given to the scientist or company who manufactured the athlete's robotic assistive device. Things like exoskeletons, powered wheelchairs, and even electrically stimulated muscles will be explored throughout these games.
Events include the Powered Leg Prosthetics Race, Functional Electrical Stimulation Race, and the Powered Wheelchair Race, among others that are a groundbreaking development and opportunity in the age of augmented humans.
Inaugural Bionic Olympics
Switzerland is Hosting the World's First Bionic Olympics in 2016
Trend Themes
1. Bionic Olympics - The Bionic Olympics is a trend that promotes the development of assistive devices and research in the age of augmented humans.
2. Prosthetic Innovation - Prosthetic innovation is a trend that focuses on the development of advanced prosthetics for disabled athletes, creating disruptive opportunities in the medical device industry.
3. Powered Assistive Devices - Powered assistive devices are a trend in the Bionic Olympics that explores the use of exoskeletons, electric stimulation, and other technologies, opening up opportunities for disruptive innovation in the robotics industry.
Industry Implications
1. Sports Equipment - The sports equipment industry can leverage the Bionic Olympics trend to develop specialized equipment for disabled athletes participating in these games.
2. Medical Device - The medical device industry can seize the prosthetic innovation trend to develop advanced prosthetics and assistive devices for disabled individuals, creating disruptive opportunities for improved mobility and quality of life.
3. Robotics - The robotics industry can capitalize on the powered assistive devices trend to develop more advanced and versatile robotic technologies for applications beyond the Bionic Olympics, revolutionizing the field of robotics and human augmentation.