Start-up of the Day: Axiles Bionics Designs a Prosthetic Foot with Articulation

What prompted you to create Axiles Bionics, and what problem does it solve?

Until now, individuals with a foot amputation had to settle for prostheses without articulation. These types of prostheses do not function like a real foot, causing back pain for users. The current prosthetic technology was developed fifty years ago, with the first wooden feet resembling real feet produced in the 1950s. Nowadays, most prosthetic feet still have an internal wooden structure. We believe we can enhance prosthetic feet by adding articulation through robotics. The challenge lies in controlling the artificial joint to restore functionality. This is where the body's muscles come into play. Robotics can address this by incorporating springs and motors that mimic muscle function in the artificial foot. Until now, prostheses have not been able to operate as finely as a real foot, primarily because certain movements require generating a significant amount of energy in a short time, a task current artificial foot motors cannot accomplish. However, with Axiles Bionics, we utilize springs in combination with a motor in a complex mechanical system capable of generating this power. This method can be likened to using a bow and arrow. By drawing the arrow through the bow, it can fly much farther than if thrown by hand due to tension. Biomechanical studies show that muscle action in the feet functions similarly.

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What has been the biggest obstacle you had to overcome?

The most delicate thing is to replicate the functioning of muscles. Several research groups worldwide are working on this issue, but there are still no conclusive results. The human body is incredibly difficult to mimic. It is extremely complex. The second challenge is that humans can live up to 80 years without having to replace "parts." Robot parts wear out very quickly. You must ensure that they last at least three years. It's not that easy. The human body heals itself, but a machine cannot. Additionally, there must be no flaws in the system. It is also crucial to understand that the technology must be affordable. No one can afford to manufacture a robot foot for €100,000 that needs replacing every three years. That makes no sense. Over the next few months, we will work on how we can cleverly solve this problem with our technology.

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What has been the most significant breakthrough so far?

It was the academic research we conducted. At the time, we didn't really plan to put a prototype on the market. The most challenging part was the decision to start a company to develop this prototype into a market-ready product. We will have to hire people for this and find funding, and that's what we need to do to bring this technology to market.

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What do we expect from Axiles Bionics in the coming year?

In the coming months, we will continue to encourage research and development, both within Axiles Bionics and with our partners, such as the robotics and artificial intelligence research groups at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Strength lies in unity. We firmly believe in this type of collaboration. We are confident that it will allow us to progress effectively, both in the field of fundamental research and in the application of an initial product. We don't just want to present ourselves as prosthetic developers. I see us more as a company specializing in robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-robot interaction. Our goal is to improve the quality of life.

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Where do you want Axiles Bionics to be in five years? What is your ultimate goal?

We want to develop a center of excellence in Brussels, in collaboration with our collaboration partner Brubotics from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. We aim to become a pioneer in this new field and firmly establish ourselves in Brussels.

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How does Axiles Bionics' innovation improve existing prosthetics?

By using robotics, we can ensure that the artificial foot is at the forefront of technology at all levels - in terms of mechanics, electronic control, and artificial intelligence. Currently, there is not much robotics in prosthetics. We incorporate joint functionality into artificial feet. This will assist the user rather than impose a burden on them.

Axiles Bionics is one of the twenty startups nominated in July by the pan-European network RobotUnion for a prize of up to €223,000. The next round of this European startup competition will take place in October.

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