SuperFlex is now the newest spin-off company of SRI Robotics, part of SRI International. Â For the time being, SuperFlex will be the name of the company and their flagship exoskeleton/exosuit product. Â Creating spin-off companies is a regular activity for SRI Robotics and it shows that enough people believe the FlexSuit is ready for commercial development. Â Counting the Exoskeleton Report (ExR), SuperFlex will be the 6th company that is working with exoskeleton technology in the San Francisco Bay Area. Â This turns the Bay Area into a central hub for exoskeleton technology and development.
The news of the SuperFlex spin-off from SRI International first broke on TechCrunch.com, see the full article here. Â At ExR we have covered the SuperFlex suit already twice, first in December 2015:
And a second time in April 2016, though at this time I was convinced that SuperFlex was two words, oops:
It is really exciting to see SuperFlex become an independent commercial company. Â It is not clear how the exosuit will be marketed. Â SuperFlex can find a home in the military, civilian/recreational and medical/augmentation markets.
With the SuperFlex spin-off from SRI, the San Francisco Bay Area is now a world center for exoskeleton development (assuming SuperFlex stays in the Bay Area):
- US Bionics/Suit X: Phoenix (medical/rehabilitation), MAX (work/industry)
- Ekso Bionics: Ekso GT (medical/rehabilitation), Ekso Works (work/industry), Soft Exosuit (military)
- AlterG: Bionic Leg (medical/rehabilitation)
- Otherlab Orthotics: Soft Inflatable Exosuit (undefined, possible entry into all markets)
- SuperFlex: SuperFlex (undefined, possible entry into all markets), Pediatric Exosuit (medical/rehabilitation)
- Exoskeleton Report: News & Resources (though we also have our own Hip-Knee Exoskeleton)
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