News

The new Harmony® P3 pump by Otto Bock.
The Harmony® system, which stands for active volume management and improved adhesion, has established itself as the fitting standard for transtibial amputations. For Otto Bock, this success is no reason to rest on its laurels: After further development work, the company is now presenting the new Harmony® P3 pump.

The IPC and Otto Bock present a joint exhibition.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Otto Bock HealthCare will bring a new attraction to the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver (March 12 through 21, 2010): In downtown Whistler, the partners are presenting an exhibition on topics related to the Paralympics entitled "Spirit in Motion - Discover, what moves us".

Lower Saxony company presents the world of physical mobility at the World Expo in Shanghai.
Demographic change is posing mounting challenges for societies around the world. Next to accidents and illness, old age associated with rising life expectancy is gaining importance as a cause of limited mobility.

Premiere: International Paralympic Winter Day in Moscow
Ice hockey fans in Russia still idolise him as the “man with 1000 hands”. Wladislaw Tretjak, ten-time world champion and best goalie of all time, returned to the ice during International Paralympic Winter Day (IPWD) on Red Square in Moscow (on December 12, 2009) and guarded the goal of the German sledge hockey team for 15 minutes for a 10:1 win against the Netherlands.

Otto Bock reaches the next milestone in the history of prosthetics.
Christian Kandlbauer can sense temperature, identify rough and smooth surfaces and feel the strength of a handshake with an artificial hand. This is the first time a prosthesis has transmitted such sensory perceptions back to the brain via nerve tracts: A milestone in the history of prosthetics.

Easier fabrication process of the threadless valves PushValve 21Y14 and MagValve 21Y15.

A recent media event held at the Otto Bock Science Center Medical Technology presented an impressive example of what technology for people can do: Christian Kandlbauer drives a car with two prosthetic arms.

The new disabled athletes of the year are Michael Teuber, Andrea Rothfuss and the members of the National Wheelchair Curling Team. An awards ceremony was held for them on November 12 as the high point of the "Night of the Stars", the gala of the "Förderkreis Behindertensport" (a fundraising group to support sports for the disabled) at the Hotel Maritim in Berlin.

Otto Bock CEO Hans Georg Näder appointed as new guest professor of Capital Medical University.
On Monday (October 26, 2009), the Capital Medical University appointed Hans Georg Näder as its guest professor in Berlin’s partner city of Beijing. This award to the chairman and CEO of Otto Bock HealthCare constitutes another component of German-Chinese cooperation in the field of medical technology.

The Otto Bock Science Center Medical Technology in Berlin was honoured as a “Place in the Land of Ideas” on Saturday, October 3.
Sebastian Peichl, Director of the Otto Bock Science Center Medical Technology, accepted the award on behalf of Professor Hans Georg Näder, chairman and CEO of Otto Bock HealthCare.

Improved performance and functionality.
The improved Harmony® e-pulse was released in September with three main performance and functional improvements – durable filtration, airtight performance and ability to flush with distilled water.

Otto Bock supports the exhibition IdeenExpo 2009 to get young people excited about technical occupations.
In order to get young people excited about technology and technical occupations, Otto Bock HealthCare is once again represented with its own booth at IdeenExpo from September 5 through 13, 2009.

Senior executive of the Otto Bock Group passes away at the age of 94
The Otto Bock Group is mourning the loss of senior executive Dr. Max Näder, who passed away on Friday, July 24th, at the age of 94. The funeral service for Dr. Näder, who was an honorary citizen of the cities of Duderstadt and Königsee, will be held on Friday, July 31st, at 12 pm in the St. Servatius protestant church in Duderstadt.

The launch of a unique technology showcase in Berlin.
There is a new attraction for the citizens of Berlin and visitors to the national capital from all over the world: The Otto Bock Science Center Medical Technology was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 in the presence of Federal Minister of External Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Premier of Thuringia Dieter Althaus, Berlin’s mayor Klaus Wowereit and several hundred guests.

The Polytol® PU resin kit from Otto Bock has received no less than two design awards: The iF material award 2009 and the DESIGN PLUS 2009 award. In prosthetics, the Polytol® PU resin kit is used to fabricate flexible inner sockets. It is skin-friendly and features high permanent elasticity.

German Design Award for the Lumbo TriStep from Otto Bock.
The Lumbo TriStep back orthosis from Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH has received the German Design Award in silver during the opening of the international “Ambiente” trade fair in Frankfurt. In its statement, the jury mainly emphasised the favourable combination of materials and design.

Ceremony in the Duderstadt city hall on January 13
For Otto Bock HealthCare, a ceremony in the historical Duderstadt city hall will kick off its anniversary year.  On Tuesday, January 13, 2009 – 90 years to the day after Orthopädische Industrie GmbH was founded by eponym Otto Bock – around 300 guests of honour including premier Christian Wulff (Lower Saxony) and minister Gerold Wucherpfennig as a representative of premier Dieter Althaus (Thuringia) are expected at 1:00 pm.

Otto Bock will count on competent consulting and intensive dialogue at the Arab Health 2009. You are invited for extensive conversations, communication exchange and demonstration of state-of-the-art fitting procedures at our Otto Bock stand CD 90. Experience the world of orthopaedic technology and Otto Bock expertise.

The Otto Bock Foundation supports direct aid and training of orthopaedic technicians.
The Otto Bock Foundation will continue and expand its aid to children who became victims of the earthquake catastrophe in the Chinese province of Si Chuan in May 2008.

Heinrich Bürkle de la Camp Medal for Professor Hans Georg Näder.
Professor Hans Georg Näder, chairman and CEO of the Otto Bock Group, was awarded the “Heinrich Bürkle de la Camp Medal” last Thursday for his contributions to the field of medical technology.

Now that the shell of the Otto Bock Science Center for Medical Technology is complete, a topping-out ceremony was held this Friday, October 10, 2008 on the Ebertstraße construction site in Berlin. The cornerstone for the Otto Bock Science Center for Medical Technology was laid here six months ago in the presence of Berlin’s incumbent mayor Klaus Wowereit as well as political and industry VIPs.

Christian Wulff Visits Victims of Catastrophic Earthquake
The relief action “Give Children a Future” sponsored by the Otto Bock Foundation supports girls and boys that fell victim to the catastrophic earthquake in the Sichuan region of China. Premier of Lower Saxony Christian Wulff spoke to some of these children for 45 minutes during a reception at the German embassy in Beijing on German Unification Day.

CDPF and Otto Bock Sign Policy Statement.
Cooperation between the Chinese organisation for the disabled CDPF and the medical technology company Otto Bock HealthCare is being expanded.

Otto Bock HealthCare will present numerous new products at the REHACARE that will take place from 15 to 18 October 2008 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Moreover, the company will make use of this international trade fair to introduce its "Kids Concept", which has been specially geared to the needs of children with disabilities, as well as the "Premium Products Range", a new business segment with its own product portfolio.

Paralympics experiences in the Otto Bock workshop.
The Otto Bock team consisting of 136 orthopedic technicians from 19 countries handled 2188 jobs at the Paralympics. While this figure corresponds to the results in Athens 2004, much was different at the 2008 games in Beijing. At the closing ceremonies in the “Bird’s Nest”, IPC president Sir Philip Craven spoke of “the best Paralympics of all time” before an audience of 95,000. This applied to the competitions as well as life in the Paralympic Village, where the Otto Bock workshop became a multicultural meeting place.

Partnership Extended to 2012.
Even as the 13th Paralympics in Beijing are still ongoing in sold-out arenas, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the medical technology company Otto Bock HealthCare have extended their current cooperation agreement to 2012.

The 6Y75 SiliconGel Liner with SKINGUARD® Technology include the new and effective additive Sanitized®.
The high-tech functionality of antibacterial additive Sanitized® protects your liner against bacterial involvement and thus also against bad odors. It preserves the material, improves hygiene and the odor reduction.

Otto Bock Foundation: Concrete Emergency Aid Has Begun.
The relief action “Give Children a Future” of the Otto Bock Foundation has begun for the first six children in the earthquake disaster area of Sichuan. They were brought to Beijing with the help of the Red Cross China.

Available on our website: detailed information about new Otto Bock products recently introduced at the Trade show for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Technology:
Helix3D Hip Joint System, new C-Leg®compact, new Generation of 3R90 and 3R92 Modular Knee Joints with Friction Brake and the 3R41 Modular Knee Joint with Lock.

Discussion Forum “Elite Paralympic Sports Facing New Challenges”
This Thursday May 22, 2008, the topic “Elite Paralympic Sports Facing New Challenges” was discussed by Prof. Dr. Gert-Peter Brüggemann , Prof. Dr. Gudrun Doll-Tepper and Heinrich Popow.

Meet us at the Leipzig trade show.
Otto Bock is placing its concept for the Leipzig trade show under the motto “Experiencing competence”. This approach is taking us beyond the conventional presentation of innovative products.

Laying the Cornerstone for the Science Center Medical Technology
The Medical Technology Competence Centre allows anyone to experience the fascination of things we may otherwise take for granted.

Paralympics deployment with 136 technicians.
The medical technology company Otto Bock HealthCare will take over the repair services for prostheses and wheelchairs at the Paralympics from September 6 to 17, 2008 in Beijing.

Germany beats Netherlands 64-31 at Champions Weekend.
Germany’s female wheelchair basketball team confirmed its special standing last Sunday (13/4/2008), adding a magnificent finale to the Champions Weekend for Paralympics Sponsor Otto Bock: a 64-31 victory over Holland, European second-place champions (20-8/36-16/50-24).

ottobock.com is now available in Spanish!
Effective immediately, our international website ottobock.com is also available in Spanish.

International match – ladies’ wheelchair basketball in Göttingen before the national league game of BG 74 vs. Skyliners Frankfurt
Five-time European Champions, two subsequent awards for Team of the Year – now all the German national ladies’ wheelchair basketball team needs is a medal at the Paralympics in Beijing (September 6 to 17, 2008).

1958, Minneapolis: Dr. Max Näder Founds Otto Bock USA
Otto Bock took the first step towards establishing a global brand at a time when globalisation was still an unknown term for medium-sized family enterprises in Germany. CEO Dr. Max Näder and his wife Maria first travelled to the United States in 1956. Their second visit led to the founding of “Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry, Inc.” in Minneapolis on February 21, 1958.

 “This has been the most exciting period in the history of the company”
In 2007, the consolidated turnover of the Otto Bock Group rose from 541 to 560 million euros. This constitutes a currency adjusted sales growth of 9.4%.

Golden German Design Award for the Genu Arexa
The Genu Arexa, a knee orthosis from the medical technology company Otto Bock HealthCare, has received the golden German design award in Frankfurt.

International Design Award for Otto Bock
The 1C30 Trias prosthesis foot from Otto Bock has received the international “Legacy for the Future Design Award” in Korea. At the “Design Korea” festival in Seoul, the Trias was declared the winner in the “Human Comfort Design” category.

Heinrich Popow is an advocate of cultural diversity. The athlete and member of the TSV Bayer O4 Leverkusen team has been appointed national Ambassador for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID) along with film composer Hans Zimmer, actress Minh-Khai Phan-Thi and other high-profile figures.