CYBATHLON

Project MARCH at the Cybathlon

The Powered Exoskeleton Race is the discipline in which Project MARCH participates! The obstacles that are present in this race represent daily activities that are nearly impossible for people in a wheelchair. Teams can test their exoskeleton on applicability in daily life, compare their own performances with other teams, attract publicity and share knowledge with other teams. Each year, the Cybathlon organisation attempts to make the obstacles harder, so that the teams are challenged to innovate on and on. Teams from across the world participate in this contest.

The idea of the Cybathlon is that it will be held every four years, just like the Olympic Games, in Zürich. The years in between this four-yearly competition yearly spin-offs are held: the Cybathlon Experience. 

Cybathlon

On the 8th of October 2016, the world premiere of the Cybathlon, organised by ETH Zürich, was held in the SWISS Arena in Kloten. Paralympic athletes competed in six different disciplines, using the newest bionic tools.

These Bionic Games are composed of eight disciplines, of which we participate in the Exoskeleton Race:

  1. Arm Prosthesis Race

  2. Assistance Robot Race

  3. Brain-Computer Interface Race

  4. Exoskeleton Race

  5. Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike Race

  6. Leg Prosthesis Race

  7. Wheelchair Race

  8. Vision Assisted Race

MARCH I

Unfortunately for team 1, two weeks before the competition a weld broke while testing which caused the MARCH to fall on the ground and suffer quite some damage. Since the team was already behind schedule this was the final blow which knocked them out of the competition since there was no more time left for training. Luckily there was still enough time to get the MARCH up and running again just before the Cybathlon, which allowed us to still demonstrate it in Zürich.

MARCH II

The second team participated in 2017 in Düsseldorf in a Cybathlon Experience at the Rehacare. They had amazing progress during the race and eventually ended up at the second place. See their vlogs (vlog day seven) for a daily report of that exciting week. 

MARCH III

The fourth team participated in the Cybathlon EXO Experience on 20 September 2019. This took place in Rapperswil, near Zürich. Eventually, this Cybathlon Experience became a demonstration. Project MARCH together with the Swiss team 'Varileg' both showed which obstacles they could perform at that time.

MARCH IVc

The fifth team was supposed to participate in the Cybathlon 2020 on the 2nd and 3rd of May 2020 in Zürich. This is the 2nd edition of the Cybathlon, which is organised once in every four years. A total of 18 teams from over the world signed up to participate in the race. However, due to the Corona-crisis, the date of the Cybathlon was been moved to the 19th and 20th of September 2020. Again, due to the Corona-crisis, this date was moved. Since the organization did not know at what time a 'real-life' Cybathlon would be possible, they worked out a global online format. This took place at the 13th and 14th of November, 2020. Project MARCH V participated in this format, where every team took part from their own location, and one person from the Cybathlon was present to check if all goes fair and all requirements were met.

The third team participated in 2018 in the Cybathlon Experience during the Rehacare fair. This is an international fair focused on rehabilitation and care and took place from the 26th to 29th of September 2019 in Düsseldorf.

MARCH IV

MARCH IX

Project MARCH IX will be participating in the CYBATHLON 2024, with the goal of successfully completing all ten obstacles the competition has to offer in 10 minutes.

We’re busy at work to prepare for the CYBATHLON, we’re counting on your cheers when the competition takes place on the 25th of October!