While the world prepares for the Rio Olympics on August 5, another competition is quietly gearing up: the Cybathlon 2016. There, humans and robots will share the same field, competing in six events that push the limits of bionic implants and augmented prosthetics.
A Different Kind of Olympics
We first covered the Cybathlon in March 2014. Since then, the idea of testing prosthetics in a competitive setting has fascinated us. While the Paralympic Games offer a fair and balanced environment for athletes with physical disabilities, they don't emphasize the technological aspect. The upcoming Cybathlon, the first of its kind, is scheduled for October and will feature tailor-made events designed to push the dexterity, speed, and precision of each implant to its limits.
The Six Disciplines
The competition consists of six disciplines: Electric Wheelchair Race, Exoskeleton Race, Bionic Arm Race, Bionic Leg Race, Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike Race, and Brain-Computer Interface Competition. Each event has time limits and a cap on participants (usually no more than four at a time). Detailed rules and obstacle layouts are available in a PDF document.
Date and Beyond
As mentioned, the Cybathlon 2016 takes place on October 8. Another exciting aspect is that this Cyborg Olympics pits not only athletes but also the labs and companies behind each prosthetic. Personally, I hope the entire event is uploaded to YouTube so the whole world can watch these bionic athletes in action.
Visit the official site for more information.
