Instead of a stroller
Wandercraft exoskeleton allows people with lower limb paralysis to walk
Stepan Ikaev, Hi-tech+
The French startup Wandercraft has introduced a new model of an exoskeleton to support paralyzed users. The second—generation Atalante suit is a self-balancing exoskeleton designed for the rehabilitation of patients in hospitals and at home, which simulates a natural gait using 12 degrees of freedom, Engadget reports. Recently, Wandercract received a certificate of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in Europe and can now distribute its technologies in medical institutions on a commercial basis.
According to the founder and CEO of Wandercraft Mathieu Masselin, the startup was founded in 2012 with one goal — to increase the mobility of wheelchair users. Most of the time the company worked in a secretive mode, until in 2019 it released a beta version of Atalante. The prototype model was tested by several European regulators, after which Wandercraft engineers moved on to the production of a fully functional exoskeleton — Atalante of the second generation, focused on both commercial and consumer markets.
The company claims that the current version of the exoskeleton gives paralyzed people the opportunity to walk with a "natural gait". Movement on two legs with 12 degrees of freedom is provided by built-in algorithms and a multi-level design that regulates the operation of Atalante hinges. The system is powered by a set of two removable batteries — while one battery is responsible for operation, the second is charged from a regular outlet, so the owner can wear the exoskeleton continuously.
The exoskeleton comes with a remote control and a mobile app. The service allows the physiotherapist and other doctors to fine-tune movements and exercise programs for their patients. Now Wandercraft offers to use exoskeletons for rehabilitation in hospitals, and in the future plans to establish mass supplies of Atalante for home use.
Simultaneously with the announcement of the new Atalante model, the startup announced that it had successfully attracted $45 million of venture capital investments in Series C. The funding round was led by the Quadrant Management fund, which was joined by the last investor of Wandercraft — Bpifrance. Quadrant's interest in the startup business is an important point, since the firm does not support brands operating outside the United States. The head of Wandercraft confirmed the company's plans — in the near future, exoskeletons will appear in the American region.
"We are very pleased that we have attracted world-class investors from the USA and Europe to promote the development program. With the support of patients, healthcare professionals and the DeepTech community, the Wandercraft team has created a unique technology that improves rehabilitation care and will soon make people in wheelchairs more independent, as well as improve their daily lives," Masselin said.
With the entry into the US market, Wandercraft will begin to compete with several players at once, including ReWalk Robotics, Ekso, suitX and Sarcos. At the same time, the startup is not afraid of competition — most of the listed companies focus on servicing corporate enterprises or the military sector, while the target audience of Wandercraft is the mass consumer.
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