What is Ekso Bionics and what exoskeletons does it make?
Ekso Bionics is a US medical and industrial exoskeleton manufacturer founded in 2005 (originally Berkeley Bionics) and publicly traded on NASDAQ (EKSO). The EksoNR is FDA-cleared for rehabilitation of stroke and spinal cord injury patients. EksoVest and EksoWorx target industrial workers for overhead and lifting tasks.
What Ekso Bionics is
Ekso Bionics was founded in 2005 in Berkeley, California, originally under the name Berkeley Bionics. The company rebranded to Ekso Bionics in 2012. Ekso Bionics is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker EKSO and is headquartered in Richmond, California.
The company operates across two distinct markets with two distinct product lines: medical rehabilitation exoskeletons for clinical use, and industrial exoskeletons for worker safety and fatigue reduction.
EksoNR: medical rehabilitation
The EksoNR is Ekso Bionics' primary medical product. It is an FDA-cleared powered lower-body exoskeleton for rehabilitation of patients recovering from stroke or with spinal cord injury. The device allows patients with partial or full paralysis of the lower limbs to participate in walking rehabilitation sessions under clinical supervision, with the exoskeleton providing the powered assistance needed to complete stepping movements.
The EksoNR was cleared by FDA under the 510(k) pathway. The cleared indications specify the patient populations for which the device may be used in a clinical rehabilitation setting. Published clinical studies support the EksoNR's use in stroke and spinal cord injury rehabilitation; DEPLOY reads rehabilitation outcome claims at the clinical trial publication depth.
EksoNR is operated by a therapist through a tablet interface during rehabilitation sessions. The therapist sets the level of assistance (how much the device does vs how much the patient does) and monitors the session. The patient's intent initiates each step; the device provides powered assistance to complete it.
Industrial products: EksoVest and EksoWorx
EksoVest is a passive (unpowered) upper body exoskeleton that provides spring-assisted support for arms held in elevated positions, reducing shoulder fatigue for workers doing prolonged overhead tasks such as automotive assembly and aircraft maintenance. EksoVest is a no-power mechanical device.
EksoWorx (formerly known as EksoZeroG in some configurations) targets powered industrial applications. The product line has evolved across configurations targeting different industrial worker tasks.
Framework cross-links
For the exoskeleton category umbrella including medical vs industrial framing and the not-autonomous clarification, see what is an exoskeleton. For the ReWalk comparison in medical exoskeletons for personal home use, see what is ReWalk Robotics. The Ekso Bionics registry entry at registry.deploy.report/companies/ekso-bionics carries institutional depth.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the EksoNR?
EksoNR is Ekso Bionics' FDA-cleared powered lower-body exoskeleton for rehabilitation of stroke and spinal cord injury patients. It allows patients with partial or full lower-limb paralysis to participate in walking rehabilitation with powered assistance. A therapist operates the device via tablet and sets the level of assistance for each patient session.
- Is Ekso Bionics publicly traded?
Yes. Ekso Bionics is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker EKSO. The company has been publicly traded since its listing, having previously been Berkeley Bionics before the 2012 rebrand. Financial filings are available through SEC EDGAR.
- Is the Ekso exoskeleton autonomous?
No. EksoNR is operated by a clinical therapist who controls the device settings via tablet during each rehabilitation session. The patient's movement intent initiates each step; the exoskeleton provides powered assistance to complete the step. No part of the operation is autonomous; a trained human is required for each session.
- What is the EksoVest?
EksoVest is a passive (unpowered) upper body exoskeleton that uses spring mechanisms to support the arms during overhead tasks. It is worn like a vest and provides spring-assisted lift to reduce shoulder fatigue for workers doing prolonged overhead assembly, maintenance, or construction work. EksoVest requires no power source or charging.
- What conditions can the EksoNR treat?
EksoNR is FDA-cleared for rehabilitation use with adult stroke survivors and with patients with spinal cord injury. The specific cleared patient populations are defined in the FDA 510(k) clearance documentation. Clinical use outside the cleared indication requires physician judgment and is not governed by the clearance.
- How does Ekso Bionics compare to ReWalk?
Both are medical exoskeleton companies with FDA-cleared lower-body devices. The key difference: EksoNR is cleared for clinical rehabilitation use (used by therapists in rehab facilities). ReWalk is cleared for both clinical use and for personal home use by individuals with spinal cord injury. EksoNR targets the clinical rehabilitation market; ReWalk targets both clinical and personal-use markets.
Ekso Bionics founding (2005, Berkeley CA, as Berkeley Bionics) and NASDAQ listing (EKSO) verified at company history and exchange listing depth. EksoNR FDA clearance verified at FDA 510(k) database depth. Medical indications (stroke, SCI rehabilitation) verified at FDA clearance documentation depth. EksoVest passive design (unpowered spring mechanism) verified at product specification depth. Clinical rehabilitation outcome claims at published clinical study depth. How DEPLOY verifies →