Cybathlon

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 15% of people (1.1. billion people worldwide) experience some form of disability.

Robert Riener, head of the professorship for Sensory-Motor Systems at ETH Zurich, initiated the CYBATHLON in 2013 as a platform for the development of everyday-suitable assistance systems.

The event organised under the umbrella of ETH Zurich is supported financially as well as ideologically by partners and through patronage.{{cite news |last1=Blickenstaff |first1=Brian Blickenstaff |title=The Cybathlon: Where Paraplegics Walk Again |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-cybathlon-where-paraplegics-walk-again/ |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=Vice |date=October 19, 2016 |language=en}}

Whereas other international competitions for disabled athletes, such as the Paralympics, only permit competitors to use unpowered assistive technology, the CYBATHLON encourages the use of performance-enhancing technology such as powered exoskeletons.

Teams can compete in eight different disciplines. A team always consists of a pilot (a person with a disability that meets the inclusion criteria of the respective discipline) and a technology developer (university or company) who work closely together. Teams may include clinicians and other professionals with expertise in areas such as therapy, orthotics and prosthetics. Currently, the split is about 70% with a university and 30% with a company background (e.g. manufacturers of commercially available prostheses).

The CYBATHLON competition includes competitions in a number of different disciplines, each of which has eligibility criteria specific to the pilot and device. The tasks for each of the CYBATHLON disciplines are chosen to reflect everyday activities that are challenging for people with disabilities. While solving the respective tasks in competition, it is shown how well the developed technology is suited to support the pilot in everyday life. Design of the tasks varies from one competition to the next, with the rule book for the competition being published years in advance to allow time for development. The 2016 and 2020 events included six disciplines. Two further disciplines, Assistance Robot Race and Vision Assistance Race, were added for 2024.

Teams compete on courses designed to test how well suited a given technology is to helping its user with everyday tasks, for example climbing stairs or opening doors. In each discipline several pilots compete simultaneously. The tasks and rules are defined in detail for each of the six disciplines. Most important is that the pilots complete the tasks correct, safe and secure. Time comes in as a secondary factor.{{cite news |title=Technology that moves you |url=https://www.swiss.tech/news/technology-moves-you |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=Swisstech |date=December 9, 2020 |language=en}}

• Brain–computer interface (BCI) Race: In the BCI race, pilots with quadriplegia use brain-computer interfaces to control avatars in a computer game. The aim of this technology is to associate specific mental tasks with distinct behaviors of an external device. An example would be the direction of wheelchairs by people with limited ability to move. Teams in the 2016 and 2020 competitions used surface-based BCIs. Implanted BCI systems will be allowed to participate for the first time in 2024.{{cite journal |last1=Perdikis |first1=Serafeim |last2=Tonin |first2=Luca |last3=Saeedi |first3=Sareh |last4=Schneider |first4=Christoph |last5=Millán |first5=José del R. |title=The Cybathlon BCI race: Successful longitudinal mutual learning with two tetraplegic users |journal=PLOS Biology |date=10 May 2018 |volume=16 |issue=5 |pages=e2003787 |doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.2003787 |pmid=29746465 |language=en |issn=1545-7885|pmc=5944920 |doi-access=free }}
• Functional electrical stimulation (FES) Bike Race: The FES race is for pilots with paraplegia due to an injury of the central nervous system. A device delivers electrical pulses to muscles to induce contractions. The control system must selectively activate different muscles in a coordinated manner. Functional electrical stimulation enables pilots to perform a pedalling movement on a recumbent bicycle.{{cite journal |last1=Hamdan |first1=Puteri Nur Farhana |last2=Hamzaid |first2=Nur Azah |last3=Abd Razak |first3=Nasrul Anuar |last4=Hasnan |first4=Nazirah |title=Contributions of the Cybathlon championship to the literature on functional electrical stimulation cycling among individuals with spinal cord injury: A bibliometric review |journal=Journal of Sport and Health Science |date=1 November 2022 |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=671–680 |doi=10.1016/j.jshs.2020.10.002 |pmid=33068748 |language=en |issn=2095-2546 |pmc=9729926 }}
• Arm Prosthesis Race: In this race, pilots using an arm prosthesis on one or both sides can compete. Tasks generally involve grasping and manipulation activities, and may also require bimanual coordination or use of a variety of arm postures. The prosthesis has to include the wrist and can be navigated with any kind of control. It can be either body- or externally powered.
• Leg Prosthesis Race: In this race, pilots using a leg prosthesis on one or both sides, including a knee joint, have to perform various movements. Tasks such as standing up and sitting down and walking on uneven terrain involve aspects of locomotion such as balance, stability, agility, mobility, and precision in stepping. Some tests may involve dual-tasking. Teams can use any kind of prosthetic device, with differing control strategies and actuation and sensing principles.
• Exoskeleton Race: In this race, pilots with complete thoracic or lumbar spinal cord injury can compete using an exoskeleton. This powered wearable device supports the body and enables types of anthropomorphic motion used in everyday tasks. Tasks include sitting and standing, walking, and climbing stairs.
• Wheelchair Race: In this race, pilots with severe walking disability can compete using a powered wheelchair. The wheelchairs feature novel technologies for advanced mobility performance to overcome obstacles. Tasks include negotiating steep ramps, staircases, uneven terrain, and confined spaces.
• Assistance Robot Race: The Race consists of tasks that contain elements of human-robot interaction. Both pilots and robots recognize and manipulate various objects, avoid obstacles and react to some dynamic elements on the track.{{cite news |last1=Bleich |first1=Vanessa |title=Cybathlon 2024 to include the visually impaired and robot aides |work=myScience |url=https://www.myscience.org/news/wire/cybathlon_2024_to_include_the_visually_impaired_and_robot_aides-2021-ethz |access-date=4 May 2023 |date=2 November 2021 |language=en}}
• Vision Assistance Race: The Race includes elements of spatial orientation and personal mobility, such as boarding and leaving a public bus and react to some dynamic elements. Tasks are tackled under a time constraint. Pilots are to recognize the context of a task and avoid obstacles.

Medals were awarded to both the pilots themselves and to the companies or institutions that create their bionics.

Competitions were organized in such a way that the participants could demonstrate not only their own skills, but also the distinctive qualities of assistive technologies. For example, in the category of "hand prostheses", competitors attempted several food-related fine motor tasks and in the category "Neuro" the participants managed avatars in a specially designed computer game.{{cite news |last1=Lewington |first1=Lara |title=Cybathlon: Battle of the bionic athletes |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37605984 |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=BBC News |date=10 October 2016}}

The winners:

• Brain-Computer Interface Race: Numa Poujouly - Team Brain Tweakers (Switzerland)
• Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike Race: Mark Muhn - Team Cleveland (US)
• Arm Prosthesis Race: Robert (Bob) Radocy - Team Dipo Power (Netherlands)
• Exoskeleton Race: Andre Van Ruschen - Team ReWalk (Germany)
• Leg Prosthesis Race: Helgi Sveinsson - Team Rheo Knee (Iceland)
• Wheelchair Race: Florian Hauser - Team HSR Enhanced (Switzerland)

CYBATHLON 2020 took place on 13 – 14 November 2020 – globally and in a new format, at the teams’ home bases. They set up their infrastructure for the competition and filmed their races. Instead of starting directly next to each other, the pilots started individually and under the supervision of Cybathlon officials. From ETH Zurich, the competitions were broadcast through a new platform in a unique live programme.

The winners:

• Brain-Computer Interface Race: Francesco Bettella – Team WHi (Italy){{cite web |last1=Pescovitz |first1=David |title=People with quadriplegia use brain-computer interfaces to compete in a cyborg olympics |url=https://boingboing.net/2020/12/03/people-with-quadriplegia-use-brain-computer-interfaces-to-compete-in-a-cyborg-olympics.html |website=Boing Boing |access-date=4 May 2023 |date=3 December 2020}}
• Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike Race: Sander Koomen – Team PULSE Racing (Netherlands){{cite journal |last1=Docter |first1=Heleen |last2=Podvinšek |first2=Katja |last3=Koomen |first3=Sander |last4=Kaman |first4=Birgit E |last5=Visser |first5=Ilona |last6=Klunder |first6=Niek |last7=van den Berg |first7=Anneloes |last8=Bellens |first8=Laurien |last9=Wijnbelt |first9=Chrétine |last10=Groot |first10=Sterre |title=Practical approaches of PULSE Racing in training their athlete for the Cybathlon Global Edition Functional Electrical Stimulation bike race: a case report |journal=Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation |date=3 March 2023 |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=30 |doi=10.1186/s12984-023-01143-6 |pmid=36869321 |issn=1743-0003|pmc=9983524 |doi-access=free }}{{cite web |title=The Cybathlon Global Edition 2020 |url=https://pulseracing.nl/?p=1919&lang=en |website=PULSE Racing |date=31 January 2021 |access-date=4 May 2023}}
• Arm Prosthesis Race: Andrej Đukić – Team Maker Hand (Croatia){{cite news |last1=Pauković |first1=Donatella |title=Andrej Djukic Wants Winning Prosthetic Hand Project to be Available to Everyone |url=https://www.total-croatia-news.com/made-in-croatia/48543-andrej-djukic |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=Total Croatia News |date=29 November 2020 |language=en-gb}}
• Exoskeleton Race: Kim Byeong-Uk – Team Angel Robotics 1 (South Korea){{cite news |title=A Next Step in Wearable Robotics {{!}} RoboticsTomorrow |url=https://www.roboticstomorrow.com/article/2021/06/a-next-step-in-wearable-robotics/17042/ |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=Robotics Tomorrow |date=June 30, 2021}}
• Leg Prosthesis Race: Andre Frei – Team Circleg (Switzerland){{cite web |title=Smart ArM team develops prosthetics to compete in Cybathlon 2020 |url=https://www.therobotreport.com/smart-arm-team-develops-prosthetics-compete-cybathlon-2020-maxon/ |website=The Robot Report |access-date=4 May 2023|date=5 December 2020}}
• Wheelchair Race: Florian Hauser – Team Robility enhanced (Switzerland)

CYBATHLON 2024 took place from 25 to 27 October 2024. The third edition of the CYBATHLON took place in a global format at the SWISS Arena in Kloten near Zurich and in local hubs all around the world. 67 international teams from the worlds of academia and industry competed in a unique competition.

The winners:

• Brain-Computer Interface Race: Phillip – [https://cybathlon.com/en/search/default/en/teams/pitt-crew PittCrew] (US)
• Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike Race: Hunsub Lim -- BeAGain (South Korea)
• Arm Prosthesis Race: Min Xu -- HANDSON (China)
• Exoskeleton Race: Seunghwan Kim -- KAIST (South Korea)
• Leg Prosthesis Race: Andrea Modica -- REHAB TECH LEG (Italy)
• Wheelchair Race: Jaimie Borisoff -- BCIT MAKE+ (Canada)
• Assistance Robot Race: Mattias Atzenhofer -- EDAN (Germany)
• Vision Assistance Race: Péter Sulyok -- EyeRider (Hungary)

For the first time Jury Award was introduced at CYBATHLON 2024. One competing team from each of the 8 disciplines were honoured with the award.  This award celebrated exceptional innovation, usability, and generalisation—crucial features of assistive technologies that extend far beyond competition tasks to truly impact daily life for people with disabilities.

The jury consisting of individuals with disabilities, researchers, and industry experts, carefully evaluated the teams’ devices based on qualification race observations and detailed background information provided by the teams. Awards were presented at the SWISS ARENA, acknowledging the teams' dedication and ingenuity.

• WHi Students (Italy): Brain-Computer Interface
• OECU&R-Techs (Japan): Wheelchair
• Sight Guide (Switzerland): Vision Assistance
• KAIST (South Korea): Exoskeleton
• SoftFoot Pro (Italy): LEG Prosthesis
• POLIMI (Italy): FES Bike
• BionIT Labs (Italy): ARM Prosthesis
• BFH-FAIR (Switzerland): Assistance Robot

The CYBATHLON project at ETH Zürich has come to an end after years of advancing assistive technology, promoting inclusion and showcasing the incredible resilience and determination of people with disabilities and teams around the world.

As we look to the future, ETH Zürich is discussing with potential organisations to take over leading this extraordinary and pioneering project and continue its mission of driving innovation and empowering people with disabilities through technology.

While CYBATHLON's journey at ETH Zürich ends here, the story is far from over. The next edition of the event may take place in Asia in 2028, marking an exciting new chapter for this unique global competition.

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.cybathlon.ethz.ch}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqGx-eUykZLDKjjrwRhfilQ/feed YouTube channel]
• [https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-03/27/cybathlon "Cybathlon 2016: first 'Olympics' for bionic athletes"]. Wired UK. 27 March 2014.

Category:Assistive technology

Category:Bionics