From High-Cost Hardware To Hope: How ExoAtlet's New Rental Model Could Change Rehabilitation Forever
Powered exoskeletons can cost more than $100,000 and are prohibitively expensive for most. However, the medical technology startup ExoAtlet is trying out a well-known solution borrowed from the software world and will offer its wearable devices as Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS). This week, the European exoskeleton producer ExoAtlet announced a unique partnership with WeCare MedLease, launching a leasing program intended to make its medical walking assistance wearable robots more accessible to clinics, researchers, and individuals across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
While this is the first mass medical rental program, some consumer exoskeletons have already successfully introduced their powered devices as rentals (though not all attempts have succeeded). By adopting an alternative to direct sales and introducing a Hardware as a Service (HaaS) model to medical exoskeletons, ExoAtlet could be paving the way for the occupational/industrial and defense wearable technology markets to follow suit. The high upfront cost of the devices has repeatedly been cited as a barrier to mass adoption.
'People must walk in order to get back on their feet,' says Kate Bereziy, CEO of ExoAtlet. 'By combining our strengths with WeCare, we're making exoskeletons affordable…' The vision is to increase accessibility of this technology to adults, children, clinicians, and researchers alike. As of writing, the rental cost for professional facilities is €150 per day.
What ExoAtlet and WeCare MedLease pilot in healthcare can directly translate to all other exoskeleton applications. A well-developed HaaS program could have additional benefits, including the already mentioned reduction to the buyer's initial investment; it can allow for faster procurement and easier product lifecycle management.
Exoskeleton technology is an emerging solution at the intersection of ergonomics and mobility, characterized by a rapid product development cycle. New models are frequently released, making it challenging for buyers to keep pace. Similar to a car lease that allows the customer to always have the newest model on the road, a rental program can help keep only the latest models in use. The opposite is also true; changes to large manufacturing lines, like a new car model rolling through the assembly line, can make some ergonomic solutions obsolete. A HaaS model would resolve any risk to the buyer of purchasing exoskeletons that may not be needed in the future due to a production line change.
A hallmark of a true Hardware-as-a-Service model is that the exoskeleton vendor would be more involved with adopting, using, and maintaining the wearable devices. This would push the entire industry from a distribution model to an integrator one, which is not unusual for complex systems that must be integrated with processes and people. Distributors that don't have pilot, training, and maintenance capabilities will always have the option to hire third-party contractors and experts and bake their costs into the rental fees.
Only time will tell if the ExoAtlet and WeCare MedLease's agreement will be approached as a classical rental or a service. However, what is starting in the homes and clinics could create a brighter future across all exoskeleton technology applications.
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Epoch Times
an hour ago
- Epoch Times
As Aug. 1 Tariff Deadline Nears, Here Are the Trade Deals Signed So Far
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Story continues below advertisement Sheinbaum, joined by key cabinet members, confirmed the call. India In a July 30 Truth Social post, Trump stated that India would be subject to a 'We avoided the tariff increase announced for tomorrow and secured 90 days to build a long-term agreement through dialogue,' she said on a July 30 Truth Social post, Trump stated that India would be subject to a 25 percent tariff on goods , plus an additional levy due to its purchases of Russian crude oil. India will also face separate higher duties on car parts, steel, and aluminum. 'India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high,' the president said on Truth Social. Story continues below advertisement 'They have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country.' The decision marks one of the most aggressive tariff actions taken by the president against a substantial U.S. trading partner. 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Story continues below advertisement Speaking at a July 28 news conference, Carney said that U.S.-Canada negotiations are at an 'intense phase.' 'It's a complex negotiation,' the prime minister stated. Canadian officials have downplayed the odds of reaching a trade deal before the deadline. Carney later acknowledged that U.S.-Canada talks will likely extend beyond Aug. 1. Reuters contributed to this report.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
NBA in Europe: What to know about new leagues potentially coming overseas
The last few days have featured a lot of chatter about one specific topic: Basketball in Europe. Nothing is yet finalized, but there is real momentum. NBA commissioner Adam Silver is currently in Europe and has had meetings with several important individuals about potentially starting a new league across the pond. Meanwhile, there are also some simultaneous meetings involving LeBron James and Maverick Carter as well as the agent who represents Nikola Jokić. It makes sense that the basketball world is paying closer to attention to Europe. Last season, there were 61 players from Europe on opening-night rosters. Basketball is currently considered the No. 2 sport in Europe. There are a lot of things happening at once, and none of it feels particularly accidental. So if you're having trouble following or just learning about it right now, let's get you up to speed. Who has Adam Silver met with while in Europe? The commissioner of the NBA is keeping busy on this international trip. Silver was joined by deputy NBA commissioner Mark Tatum (who is overseeing these initiatives) and the NBA's Managing Director of Europe and Middle East, George Aivazoglou. The cohort met in London with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, representatives from the Turkish football club Galatasaray and three private equity firms (CVC, RedBird, and KKR) as well. They then traveled to Paris to continue to meet with other potential stakeholdersi, including leaders from Spain's Real Madrid club. This is especially significant because Real Madrid has recently produced some notable talent to the NBA, including Luka Dončić and 2025 NBA Draft first-round pick Egor Dёmin. What are they discussing in these meetings? The idea is that the NBA is exploring launching its own league in Europe. The goal is to build on momentum in basketball for Europe by creating a new league to elevate the sport in more European cities. But there are lots of details to iron out as they continue these negotiations. Some of them are included below. How many teams would play in NBA Europe? The composition of the league would also perhaps include both existing and potentially new franchises. Silver, Tatum, and Aivazoglou also met with executives from Real Madrid on Thursday about the possibility of the club joining the NBA's planned European league. Real Madrid was long a rumored target potentially interested in defecting to the new venture. Real Madrid's license agreement with EuroLeague will expire in 2026. ASVEL, Barcelona, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Bayern Munich, and Olimpia Milano will also have EuroLeague licensing agreements expiring in 2026. According to The Athletic, sources in Europe believe that if Real Madrid leaves, "other EuroLeague clubs would follow" as well. Former NBA player Tony Parker is president of ASVEL and told The Athletic that if the NBA comes to Europe, his club "definitely would be interested" in joining. Some of those other rumored teams include Barcelona and Fenerbahçe. Additionally, The Athletic reported that Silver has previously met with Qatari Investment Authority (the owners of the successful soccer club Paris Saint-Germain) about starting a basketball team in Paris. This team would rival Paris Basketball, which already exists in the EuroLeague. The report also added that the NBA has previously met with Alba Berlin to discuss joining the league as well. Alba Berlin already announced intentions to leave the EuroLeague to play in FIBA's Basketball Champions League and is speculatively a sign that they could eventually join the NBA's European League. Other potential markets of interest would likely include London, Manchester, and Munich. We don't yet know how many total teams will participate if it happens, in total, but we got a hint from the general manager of the Turkish football club Galatasaray, Omer Yalcinkaya, in May (via "But now, with FIBA and the launch of NBA Europe, we see potential there. Our main goal is to be part of those 12 teams – or however many they choose – in NBA Europe. That's 100% our top goal." The Athletic reported that the league "could include" 16 teams. The plan is likely to have 12 "permanent" clubs and four determined by a soccer-style relegation system. What does FIBA think about all of this? FIBA is the official world governing body for basketball, and this league is currently planned in partnership with FIBA. NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum has served on the FIBA board for more than a decade. Here is what Andreas Zagklis, the secretary general of FIBA, said at a press conference: "We have unanimous support to take the next step together with the NBA in the discussions for the creation of such a league. It is important for FIBA and its members to emphasize that the plan currently being reviewed, which we're still exploring, would be compatible with what FIBA and its membership, members, federations and leagues have been doing on the continent, both in terms of connection to the Basketball Champions League and to the national leagues, harmonization with the FIBA calendar, and of course an extremely important component of this is the support to the development activities of our members as well as the ones that we do jointly with the NBA, such as BWB, Basketball Without Borders, for the development of players, coaches and referees in the continent." The league would likely play in the European format, which means a 40-minute game like fans saw during the Olympics or the World Cup. The relegation system would likely be determined by performing well in national leagues or FIBA's Basketball Champions League. What does the existing EuroLeague think about all of this? The NBA has tried to partner with EuroLeague before and it reportedly did not go well. While it sounds like they recently had a positive meeting, the EuroLeague seems less excited than FIBA. Here is what EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejūnas told Mike Vorkunov (via The Athletic): This new league would create confusion. It would create division and on simple terms, you go to the sponsor, and you say, 'I'm now this new, you know, NBA League.' And then we go, 'Well, we are EuroLeague.' And then, oh, there's this Champions League; oh, there's this Euro Cup. For the hardcore fans, everybody knows EuroLeague, and everybody knows Europe. And we are not afraid to lose these fans, because we believe we have a better product right away on the court. Motiejūnas struggled to understand why any team would want to league the growing EuroLeague, which recently expanded to 20 teams for next season. Ultimately, he said that he doesn't think the league will help the market. How soon would any of this happen? That much is still officially unclear, as they're still in exploratory stages, but here is what we know from Mark Tatum (via The Athletic): "Tatum said that the European basketball league could launch in two to three years. There already seems to be some movement ahead of that." Former Minnesota Timberwolves executive David Kahn, now president of Paris Basket, thinks that the NBA will have a presence in Europe in a "strong, meaningful way" within two years. Meanwhile, the NBA did officially announce a three-year slate of games in Europe earlier this week. The Memphis Grizzlies will play the first-ever regular-season games in Berlin (at Uber Arena) and then play in London (at The O2) next season. Then in 2026, the NBA will play its first-ever game in Manchester (at Co-op Live). They will also return to Paris (at Accor Arena) in 2027. Finally, 2028 will then feature games in Berlin and Paris. Is the same league involving Maverick Carter? No, that is something else entirely different from the NBA's European League. LeBron James, his business partner Maverick Carter, and Miško Ražnatović (who represents Nikola Jokić through BeoBasket) recently met on a boat in France. According to Rob Perez, a "third major superstar" (in addition to James and Jokić) is also participating in these conversations. This meeting was about an international basketball league backed by Carter that was described as the "F1 of basketball" in the past (via Front Office Sports): "The mysterious boat meeting last week in France between LeBron James, his business partner Maverick Carter, and Nikola Jokić's European agent was about the planned international basketball league being spearheaded by Carter, multiple sources tell Front Office Sports." They suggested that the summer of 2025 was a great time to make plans for the fall of 2026. This is an independent touring league backed by Carter that is expected to have six men's and six women's teams that will play in eight cities. One of the reported cities, per Bloomberg, is Singapore. The league is expected to serve as a full-time commitment, meaning unlike the 3-on-3 league Unrivaled, players cannot participate in both this league and either the NBA or WNBA.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
NBA announces 6 Europe games over next 3 years
The post NBA announces 6 Europe games over next 3 years appeared first on ClutchPoints. The ever-expanding NBA has seen consistent growth in recent years, with franchise valuations at an all-time high. The world's best basketball league has become a global phenomenon under commissioner Adam Silver, and the league is continuing its push in Europe with a series of six games over the next three years. The NBA announced Wednesday that Berlin and London will host games in 2026, Manchester and Paris will host games in 2027, and Berlin and Paris will host games in 2028. The Paris Games have been a highlight of the NBA's regular-season calendar in recent years. The NBA previously made annual regular-season trips to London's O2 Arena from 2011-19, and now Berlin and Manchester will join the fun. The Berlin game will be the first regular-season NBA game ever held in Germany, while Manchester previously hosted a preseason game in 2013. The NBA will launch this European stretch with the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies facing off in Berlin on January 15, 2026, and then in London on January 18, 2026. The participating teams for the games in 2027 and 2028 will be announced before those seasons. The Magic, who also boast of German players Franz and Moritz Wagner, will mark their fourth and fifth appearances in Grizzlies, on the other hand, will be making their European debut. These matchups are made even juicier by the fact that Orlando acquired star guard Desmond Bane from Memphis this offseason. While these teams are traditionally seen as non-basketball markets, the NBA has become a rich financial market, with the 30 franchises currently valued collectively at over $130 billion. Related: Daryl Morey claims Lakers' bubble NBA title not viewed as 'genuine' Related: Predicting where Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, best remaining NBA free agents sign
