TEDxSF - Berkeley Bionics - Merging Technology and the Human Body

Description: More than anything else, Eythor Bender is a team builder. You want to be on his team. And that's good news for bionics, a nascent industry that Eythor has championed and grown, taking bionic prosthetics from unconventional approaches to sustainable, approved products that merge man and machine, and enhance individuals' participation in their community. Today and as CEO of Berkeley Bionics -- developer and maker of wearable robots - Eythor is leading his company's charge to boost everyone's potential through personal bionics. This year, Berkeley Bionics is introducing two new exoskeletons to the market that augment mobility, strength and endurance: eLEGS powers wheelchair users up to get them standing and walking again; and HULCTM (Human Universal Load Carrier) enables users to carry up to 200 lbs. for hours and over all terrains, while reducing the likelihood of back-injuries. Eythor is a native of Iceland, with a Masters in Business and Economics from Germany, where he began his career with Hewlett Packard in medical diagnostics and computer imaging. He went on to join Nordic-European Ossur, which pioneered the field of commercial bionics. Eythor led Ossur's Americas division, taking it from a start-up to a world leader in the field of wearable, non-invasive technologies designed for amputees, injury prevention, rehabilitation and pain relief. He lives in San Francisco and most recently spoke at TED2011 in Long Beach, California. event video by: repertoireproductions.com