Kinova is a Canadian
technology
Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...
company that manufactures
service robot
Service robots assist human beings, typically by performing a job that is dirty, dull, distant, dangerous or repetitive. They typically are autonomous and/or operated by a built-in control system, with manual override options.
The term "service ro ...
ics platforms and applications for personal assistance. The company is headquartered in
Boisbriand, Quebec
Boisbriand is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada, on the north shore of the Rivière des Mille Îles in the Thérèse-De Blainville Regional County Municipality.
The Hasidic community of Kiryas Tosh is located wi ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
.
History
In 2006, Charles Deguire and Louis-Joseph L'Écuyer founded Kinova as an independent manufacturer of robotic devices. Deguire's uncle was an inventor who created a manipulator for his wheelchair, which became the basis for the company to create the robotic arms. By 2009, Kinova had introduced a robotic arm that could fit onto any standard wheelchair and allow users to feed themselves.
From 2016 to 2018, Kinova expanded its operations, opening offices in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. In 2017, Kinova announced that it had raised $25 million in funding backed by investors KTB Network, BDC Venture Capital, Fonds Manufacturier Québécois and
Foxconn Technology Group. Later in the year, the company collaborated and partnered with
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
to increase their collaborative research involving medical, surgical and assistive robotics.
Products
Kinova produces the Jaco Assistive robotic arm, a six-axis robotic manipulator arm with a two- or three-finger hand to improve the life of people with mobility issues.
Kinova also provides accessories such as arm grippers,
actuators
An actuator is a component of a machine that is responsible for moving and controlling a mechanism or system, for example by opening a valve. In simple terms, it is a "mover".
An actuator requires a control device (controlled by control signal) an ...
and
controllers.
See also
*
Assistive technology
Assistive technology (AT) is a term for assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and the elderly. Disabled people often have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently, or even with ...
*
Rehabilitation robotics
Rehabilitation robotics is a field of research dedicated to understanding and augmenting rehabilitation through the application of robotic devices. Rehabilitation robotics includes development of robotic devices tailored for assisting different se ...
*
Medical robot
A medical robot is a robot used in the medical sciences. They include surgical robots. These are in most telemanipulators, which use the surgeon's activators on one side to control the "effector" on the other side.
Types
* Surgical robots: These ...
*
Industrial robot
An industrial robot is a robot system used for manufacturing. Industrial robots are automated, programmable and capable of movement on three or more axes.
Typical applications of robots include welding, painting, assembly, disassembly, pick a ...
References
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Companies based in Quebec
Technology companies of Canada
2006 establishments in Canada