CYBATHLON 2024: A Celebration of Determination, Ingenuity, Resilience and User-Centered Assistive Technologies

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‘Great event,’ ‘pure goosebumps,’ ‘fascinating and emotional,’ and ‘amazing and inspiring’ —these are just a few of the phrases we heard repeatedly from spectators, team members, and pilots, capturing the immense energy and impact of CYBATHLON 2024. CYBATHLON isn’t just a competition; it’s a celebration of what can be achieved when we push the boundaries of technology to make a real, tangible difference in people’s lives – a message that resonated throughout the event.

“CYBATHLON is where the future is taking shape, and this is just the beginning!”

From 25–27 October 2024, the SWISS Arena in Kloten, Switzerland, hosted CYBATHLON 2024 —a unique event uniting people with disabilities, engineers, researchers, innovators, and global audiences. This third edition, an international competition of ETH Zürich, showcased the latest assistive technology, drawing over 7,000 on-site attendees and more than 21,000 online viewers across seven global hubs. With 67 teams from 24 countries, CYBATHLON 2024 set a new benchmark in assistive technology focused on usability, inclusivity, and innovations designed for real life. Team BionIT Labs reflected, “Adrenaline was at its peak as the countdown began. CYBATHLON 2024 wasn’t just another event; it was the culmination of a journey that started with the CYBATHLON Challenges in May 2022, March 2023, and February 2024.”

The event presented a range of disciplines—from Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) to Exoskeleton to Vision Assistance to Assistance Robot to functional electrical stimulation (FES) bike races—providing a platform for people with disabilities to showcase their potential and test the limits of new assistive technologies in a real-world scenario.

Event Highlights

CYBATHLON 2024 welcomed teams both new and seasoned, with a lively on-site and online audience experiencing the event through a dynamic and accessible livestream available in eight languages, complete with subtitles, audio descriptions and sign languages. The hybrid format expanded CYBATHLON’s reach to a global audience, emphasizing its role as a truly inclusive event.

Joël Mesot, President of ETH Zürich, shares his pride: “We are immensely proud of this event. As a university, our mission is to serve society, and part of that mission is translating complex technologies developed in our institutions into real-world applications. ETH created this competition to explore how these innovations can empower people with disabilities.” He further highlights, “We collaborate closely with industry partners, who are integral to this event, allowing us to accelerate technology transfer from industry to society.”

The significance of the competition was clear from the reactions of competitors and their supporters. Team REHAB TECH LEG captured the spirit of the event, saying, "Together, we’re redefining what’s possible in human-robot interaction and rehabilitation technologies." This statement reflects the transformative potential that CYBATHLON holds for competitors and spectators alike.

Winners Across Disciplines

CYBATHLON 2024’s eight disciplines highlighted innovations that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. Here are the top performers in each category (check out the complete results):

Arm Prosthesis Race: 1st HANDSON (China), pilot Min Xu; 2nd Bionicohand (France), pilot Nicolas Huchet; 3rd BionIT Labs (Italy), pilot Salvatore De Cillis.

Assistance Robot Race: 1st EDAN (Germany), pilot Mathias Atzenhofer; 2nd SmartArM ROB (France), pilot Elienne Moullet; 3rd RSL (Switzerland), pilot Samuel Kunz.

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Race: 1st PittCrew (USA), pilot Phillip; 2nd WHi (Italy), pilot Francesco Bettella; 3rd WHi Students (Italy), pilot Filippo Boldrin.

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Bike Race: 1st BeAGain (South Korea), pilot Hunsub Lim; 2nd PULSE Racing (Netherlands), pilot Peter van Burk; 3rd POLIMI 2 (Italy), pilot Andrea Gatti.

Exoskeleton Race: 1st KAIST (South Korea), pilot Seunghwan Kim; 2nd VariLeg enhanced (Switzerland), pilot Rolf Schoch; 3rd ChiangMaiU EXO 2 (Thailand), pilot Wiraphon Kruaphan.

Vision Assistance Race: 1st EyeRider (Hungary), pilot Péter Sulyok; 2nd A-Eye (France), pilot Salomé Nashed; 3rd Sight Guide (Switzerland), pilot Lukas Hendry.

Wheelchair Race: 1st BCIT MAKE+ (Canada), pilot Jaimie Borisoff; 2nd Robility enhanced (Switzerland), pilot Rolf Schoch; 3rd OECU&R-Techs (Japan), pilot Toshiki Ogura.

Leg Prosthesis Race: 1st REHAB TECH LEG (Italy), pilot Andrea Modica; 2nd SoftFoot Pro (Italy), pilot Flavio Gaggero; 3rd Össur LX (Iceland), pilot Faris Amra.

BCIT MAKE+, a Wheelchair Race team from Canada, celebrated their victory with pride, “Winning gold is incredible, but the real victory is what this technology represents—opening doors for people who use wheelchairs.” Their sentiment underscores CYBATHLON’s mission to create practical solutions that empower and enable people with disabilities.

Advancements in Inclusivity and User-Centered Design

CYBATHLON 2024 emphasized accessibility and user-centered designs, with advances like the SoftFoot Pro, an adaptive prosthetic foot for uneven terrain, and the Sight Guide Alpha, a real-time navigation system for visually impaired users. These innovations go hand-in-hand with CYBATHLON’s founding principle, as expressed by professor Robert Riener, the initiator of CYBATHLON: “The CYBATHLON impressively demonstrated how important it is to have people at the center of technology development. We create the best technological solutions when we incorporate the needs of users right from the start.”

Pilots like Samuel Kunz, who navigated the Assistance Robot Race with a four-legged robotic guide, exemplify the CYBATHLON spirit of resilience and innovation. Kunz said, “Each participation advances research and brings us one step closer to an improved life for many people.” His words capture the event’s transformative impact on both the participants and the broader assistive technology field.

Jury Award: Recognising Impact, Innovation and Originality

This year, CYBATHLON introduced the Jury Award to honour teams whose innovations excelled in usability, adaptability, and impact on daily life for people with disabilities. A panel of people with disabilities, researchers, and industry experts evaluated each device based on race observations and detailed information submissions by teams.

The Jury Award winning teams included:

WHi Students (Italy) for Brain-Computer Interface: The team's BCI strategy is based on the concept of mutual learning, where both the user and the computer learn from each other to enhance performance. The EEG-based BCI leverages the pilot's ability to control sensorimotor rhythms, particularly those related to imagined foot movements.

OECU&R-Techs (Japan) for Wheelchair: The RPwheel24 is the third prototype in the RPwheel Series, designed for versatile mobility with omni-wheels, crawlers, and a unique scissor mechanism to handle rough terrain, narrow spaces, and lift-up barriers. Equipped with a lightweight robotic arm for daily tasks, this wheelchair aims to reach commercial standards in the future.

Sight Guide (Switzerland) for Vision Assistance: The Sight Guide Alpha is a cutting-edge navigation system that uses sensor technology and real-time mapping to aid visually impaired people in navigating their environment. Compact and user-friendly, it provides intuitive feedback, marking a significant advancement in assistive technology.

KAIST (South Korea) for Exoskeleton: The WalkONSuit F1 is a powered exoskeleton designed by KAIST Exoskeleton Lab for persons with complete paraplegia, allowing them to wear it easily while seated in a wheelchair. With 12 degrees of freedom, it enables balance and direction changes without crutches and can also operate independently in "Humanoid mode."

SoftFoot Pro (Italy) for Leg Prosthesis: The SoftFoot Pro is a fully passive, adaptive prosthetic foot designed to improve stability on uneven terrain, reducing the user’s mental burden and compensatory movements. Its flexible sole adapts to ground profiles, enhancing gait symmetry and lowering the risk of long-term issues, with plans to add an active ankle joint for more versatile use.

POLIMI (Italy) for FES Bike: This FES-controlled recumbent trike uses electrical stimulation and advanced control systems to enable smooth, balanced cycling motion for pilots. Equipped with adjustable intensity and cadence settings, it can stimulate up to 12 muscle groups, with real-time feedback through an Android app for optimized training and performance.

BionIT Labs (Italy) for Arm Prosthesis: Adam’s Hand® is the first fully adaptive bionic hand that offers users an intuitive, natural control experience by simplifying grip patterns. With automatic finger flexion to fit various shapes and IP67 water and dust resistance, it provides an anthropomorphic, user-friendly design aimed at enhancing daily life for those using prosthetic hands.

BFH-FAIR (Switzerland) for Assistance Robot: The team is dedicated to creating an accessible, affordable robotic arm system using commercially available components, ensuring cost-effectiveness and quality. This user-friendly system, equipped with sensory and control features, empowers people with tetraplegia to regain independence.

These awards highlighted groundbreaking solutions poised to transform everyday challenges into possibilities for people with disabilities. “We are extremely proud to have won the Jury Award in the Leg category at CYBATHLON 2024. This award represents a significant recognition of the important work we have dedicated ourselves to over the past few years, and I want to personally thank the entire team behind this fantastic achievement.” commented Manuel Catalano, Researcher of the IIT Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation unit.

Reactions from Teams, Pilots, and Audiences

CYBATHLON 2024 left a lasting impression on everyone involved. Team Mirage91, a BCI race participant, shared, “Wow, what a journey it has been! Although we didn’t make it to the finals, the experience has been invaluable. CYBATHLON is where the future is taking shape, and this is just the beginning!”

Hosts and commentators felt the impact deeply. Host Becs Williams expressed her awe, saying, “The work being carried out by universities and companies around the world to build a more inclusive environment is staggering. Watching these pilots in action using innovative technologies was humbling.” Moderator Abi Stevens shared, “Commentating each discipline was as thrilling as it was a learning experience, supported by an incredible lineup of co-commentators. Moments like Min Xu’s (HANDSON) gold-medal finish in the Arm Prosthesis Race and Francesco Bettella’s (WHi) last-second silver in the BCI discipline will stay with me for a long time. It was inspiring and joyous, and I feel privileged to have been part of it.”

Organisational Success and Support Programs

The CYBATHLON organising committee co-headed by Anni Kern and Roland Sigrist, numerous volunteers, partners and collaborators made CYBATHLON 2024 an overwhelming success. Interactive activities, hands-on demos, partner booths, and a school poster contest introduced the event to a younger generation, sparking interest and awareness about the potential of assistive technology. Roger Gassert, co-director of CYBATHLON and professor at ETH Zürich, noted, “These support programs make a real difference, ensuring that everyone, from spectators to participants, feels a part of the event.”

The Future of CYBATHLON

As CYBATHLON concluded, ETH Zürich in its press release announced that the next edition is slated to take place in Asia in 2028, marking the event’s expansion to a new continent and a wider audience. CYBATHLON co-head Anni Kern said, “Each CYBATHLON brings us closer to a world without barriers, as we draw attention to the needs of people with disabilities while driving forward technological advancement.”

Conclusion

CYBATHLON 2024 was a milestone event, advancing the fields of assistive technology and inclusive design. With positive reactions and remarks from pilots, teams, and supporters, it was clear that the event transcended competition; it was a collaborative celebration of resilience, inclusivity, and innovation. As CYBATHLON moves forward, the impact of this year’s achievements will continue to resonate, promising a future where technology and human determination together shape a world that is accessible and barrier-free for all.