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Bionic Power is a Vancouver-based Canadian company that builds smart knee supports to help people stand taller and walk with less effort. Its flagship system, the Agilik™, is fitted into a custom leg brace made by a certified orthotist. Built-in motors and sensors read each step and deliver precise assistance at the right moment.
The company did not start in health care. Its first project turned the knee’s swinging motion into electricity for soldiers. They built a light knee brace with small gears and a generator inside. When the knee swung while walking, the brace captured a bit of that motion and converted it into power, like a tiny bike generator. The idea was to charge equipment or lighten the number of spare batteries a soldier had to carry, especially on long marches downhill where the knee naturally absorbs more energy. However battery tech took a big leap, and their harvester became almost useless overnight. Around that time researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) were building a pediatric device for crouch gait. Their system worked but was bulky and not mass producible. Bionic Power had lighter mechanics and precise control, so a clinical research agreement followed and the company redirected toward medical devices. From that pivot came the Agilik, a smart orthosis created to support crouch gait and other mobility challenges without taking over movement.
Bionic Power’s CEO, Dr Gualtiero Guadagni, emphasizes that the Agilik is a smart orthosis, not an exoskeleton and that difference matters. He drew a clear line: an exoskeleton often takes over movement whereas the Agilik keeps the person in charge. Think of an e-bike with assist. You start the motion. The device senses what your leg is doing, then adds a bit of power or a bit of safe resistance at the right time. During the part of walking when the knee should be straight and holding weight, it can add support so you don’t sink into a crouch. During the part when the foot is swinging through, it can guide the bend and help the knee extend so the foot lands cleanly. If your pattern slips, it can briefly push the other way to steady things, then go back to working in sync.
What do studies and families say? Early tests at the NIH showed that gait patterns looked closer to typical as soon as the device turned on. A larger study with Hanger Clinic in the United States then looked at life outside the lab. Families said kids could walk farther and stay active longer at school and in the community. One parent said the biggest change was that her child could ride the bus to school. Another child got an Agilik the day before Halloween. After two hours of trick-or-treating, she messaged her clinician to say she felt strong while friends were tired. At a training day, a boy who had recently arrived from Cuba thanked the team and said the device changed his life. Those moments stick with Gualtiero and his engineers.
The product reaches users through clinicians, not direct orders. Certified orthotists and prosthetists integrate the robotic knee into a custom KAFO (knee-ankle-foot orthosis), a brace that runs from mid-thigh to the foot. It keeps the knee and ankle lined up, limits unsafe motion and supports weak muscles so walking is safer and less tiring.
The onboarding begins with a two-hour in-clinic trial of a demo unit. The orthotist takes a cast or 3D scan of the leg and builds the custom KAFO. That takes roughly two weeks. The subsequent fitting visit runs for two to three hours. First, they check comfort and skin points. Then they fine-tune the device while the person walks. A Bionic Power specialist often joins on a video call to help. Users learn how to handle stairs, ramps, sitting, standing and simple settings. Most people get the hang of it within a few hours. Clinicians can adjust the settings later as needs change.
Cost and coverage of the Agilik vary by country. In the United States there is a public billing code of US$37,000 per leg. That lump sum goes to the orthotist and covers clinical time, the custom brace and the robotic parts. Medicare recognizes the code but Medicaid coverage depends on the state. Many private plans follow the same pattern in states where Medicare is active. Hanger Clinic has teams who work on approvals and often succeed. In Canada there is no clear funding path yet for this type of smart brace. Families often turn to private plans, charities or community fundraising while governments review the evidence. This is frustrating for a Canadian company building the tech at home and working closely with local clinicians, but they keep pushing forward, determined to make sure access catches up with innovation.
Inside Bionic Power the work is personal. Two lead software developers live with mobility challenges, so the team sees the stakes every day. That lived insight carries into day-to-day communication. Clinicians and families share updates in a group chat that keeps everyone focused on what matters at school, at home and in play.
What is next?. Bionic Power is working on continuous improvement of the hardware and software, adding new functionalities They are investigating a possible prosthetic use for the device as well. The company works with best-in-class departments such as at Holland Bloorview, the University of Calgary at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Simon Fraser University and the NIH. While development broadens, getting started remains straightforward. If a family wants to explore the Agilik, the first step is to speak with their physiatrist, physical therapist or orthotist. It is prescription hardware, so a clinician needs to decide if it fits your needs. Bionic Power supplies technical training and support, the orthotist builds and tunes the brace, and the clinician sets goals and checks progress.
Dr Guadagni keeps the message simple: the Agilik’s goal is not to replace movement but to support it, one step at a time, so kids and adults can go farther, feel steadier and take part in daily life with confidence.
