Kids and adults flock to Moscow for ‘Cybathlon’ competition for disabled ‘pilots’ and their high-tech limbs
MOSCOW hosted the world's first ever international Cybathlon today, as children and adults flocked to the city to compete to move everyday objects around using prosthetic hands.
Speaking at the event in Russia, Motorica co-founder Vasily Khlebnikov told : “Our primary objective is to get people together and tell them about the Cybathlon and introduce them to our pilots, so they can ask questions.”
The event is a precursor to the "Cyborg Olympics" this October, when nearly 80 teams from 25 countries will gather in Zurich, Switzerland, to compete against one another.
Each team will comprise engineers and scientists who have made prosthesis for disabled “pilots” to use across six competitions.
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Electrical stimulation of paralysed leg muscles will allow pilots with spinal-cord injuries to ride bikes, while other races will see pilots don robotic prosthetic arms to carry out tasks such as setting a dinner table.
In direct contrast to the Olympic Games, the Cybathlon celebrates human technological achievement as opposed to physical excellence.
While Olympians are limited to the technology they can use, competitors in the Cybathlon must not be able to move their limbs without the help of artificial stimulation.
The Cybathlon is intended to spur innovation in prosthesis for use in the real world. It is hoped that as technology and opportunities develop, the competition will spark broader debate about human enhancement.
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