BIONIC PEOPLE Competitors

AB is proud to be the only U.S. based manufacturer of cochlear implants and equally proud to be a part of the larger Sonova group. At AB, success begins with a passion for hearing restoration and is driven by our global workforce of over a thousand employees. For more than 25 years, AB has removed limitations for those otherwise isolated from the world of sound. Always focused on bringing meaningful change through innovative technology, AB has set the standard for performance, lifestyle support, and access to sound in the field of cochlear implantation. Having implanted over 100,000 ears in over 130 countries and established a track record for developing high-performing, state-of-the-art products, our team of talented scientists, engineers, audiologists and other professionals are driven to succeed, work with integrity, and stay firmly committed to quality. Sonova companies include brands focused on hearing aids, cochlear implants, wireless communications, and clinical service. Together, we strive to create a world where everyone enjoys the delight of hearing and lives a life without limitations.Advanced Bionics is a global leader providing solutions for severe-to-profound hearing loss.

The Bionics Institute is an internationally recognised, independent medical research institute that solves medical challenges with technology. We lead the world in the research and development of innovative medical devices and therapies to improve human health. Our multidisciplinary team is comprised of world-class scientists, engineers and researchers, and our laboratories are located in St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, close to our clinical collaborators. Together we transform the lives of people with a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, hearing impairment, vision loss, Crohnʼs disease, Parkinsonʼs disease, stroke, arthritis, incontinence and diabetes. The Bionics Institute has an impressive track record of translating medical device concepts into clinical reality dating back to 1986 when it was founded by Professor Graeme Clark, leader of the team that created Australiaʼs cochlear implant. Since then, Bionics Institute researchers have developed: • Australiaʼs first-generation bionic eye prototype implanted in clinical trials in 2018. - The epilepsy seizure monitoring device Minder™, commercialised through Epi-Minder Pty Ltd. - An adaptive deep brain stimulation system for Parkinsonʼs disease, commercialised through Deep Brain Stimulation Technologies Pty Ltd. - An innovative vagus nerve stimulation device to treat inflammatory bowel disease, which is moving into clinical trials and also being adapted to treat rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. - Novel drug delivery methods for hearing loss; new diagnostic tools for improved diagnosis of infant hearing. Growth into new areas will build on our expertise in medical device development and a recent expansion of our world-class facilities to include the end-to-end medical device prototype manufacturing facility, Neo-Bionica.

Open Bionics: Open Bionics is a prosthetics company developing affordable, assistive devices that enhance the human body. We've started by introducing the Hero Arm, a stylish multi-grip bionic arm. Current upper limb prostheses exist as hooks, grippers, or expensive bionic hands. We're on a mission to make beautiful bionic limbs more accessible. Aged 17, Joel Gibbard began tinkering with robotic hands. There was something about the movement of a disembodied humanoid hand that captured his imagination. Hundreds of prototypes and many crates of failures later, in 2014, Joel co-founded Open Bionics with Samantha Payne. With the help of an awesome team and the support of the limb different community, they’re pioneering a new bionic age inspired by science fiction. www.openbionics.com The Hero Arm: The Hero Arm is Open Bionics' first commercially available bionic limb. The Hero Arm is the most affordable multi-grip bionic arm ever, less than half the price of its nearest competitor. Each Hero Arm is custom-built, and for the first time ever is available for upper limb amputees as young as nine.