Inspiring social inventions
Patents for inclusion
In an ever-evolving technology landscape, inventions that enhance inclusivity in our society stand out. Meet the inventors behind groundbreaking technologies that aim to promote a more inclusive society, regardless of physical ability.
Elena García
World’s first adaptable robotic exoskeleton for children
Spanish professor Elena García Armada has developed an adaptable robotic exoskeleton for children who use wheelchairs. The exoskeleton enables the children to walk during muscle rehabilitation therapy, improving their well-being and extending their life expectancy.
John Elvesjö and Marten Skogö
Eye-tracking device
Following a chance observation in a laboratory, Swedish inventors and entrepreneurs John Elvesjö and Mårten Skogö developed eye‑tracking technology that is now used in a host of applications, from gaming to mobility support for people living with a disability.
Filipa de Sousa Rocha
Accessible programming for visually impaired children
Filipa de Sousa Rocha is a computer engineer and researcher on a mission to make digital learning more accessible to visually impaired children. Her ground-breaking work uses tangible objects to teach digital literacy through play, bringing a smile to the faces of young learners as they pick up skills such as computer programming.
Laura van't Veer
Gene-based breast cancer test
The invention from researcher Laura van’t Veer and her team at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) empowers women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to make informed decisions about whether or not to undergo chemotherapy after surgery.
Van Phillips
Prosthetic low ankle device
In the 1980s, American inventor Van Phillips' Flex-Foot prosthetic leg brought new hope to those who had lost limbs to accidents, disease or birth defects, enabling them to participate in strenuous athletic endeavours. Today, it is used in some form by 90% of all athletes in the Paralympics.
Raoul Parienti
Reading assisting device “Top Braille”
Ordinary magazines or newspapers used to be impossible to read for blind people. Alternatives in Braille are limited – and a significant number of blind people do not use Braille lettering. But a new world of reading material opened up in 2007 when French inventor Raoul Parienti introduced his "Top Braille" reading assistant.
Jan Tøpholm, Søren Westermann, Svend Vitting Andersen
Tailor-made hearing aid
Aware of the drawbacks of traditional hearing-aid design, a team of Danish inventors created a new, computer-aided method to manufacture individually-fitted, comfortable hearing-aid devices. Their invention is the design basis for nearly every in-the-canal hearing aid on the market today, vastly improving the quality of life for millions worldwide.
David Gow
Cutting-edge prosthetics technology
The innovative modular design of the i-limb hand invented by David Gow allows the wearer to move individually mechanised fingers and carry out even complex tasks. This made it the first ‘fully articulated' prosthetic hand in the world.
Alim-Louis Benabid
Treatment for Parkinson's disease
French neurosurgeon and physicist Alim-Louis Benabid developed a treatment that uses high-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS). The invention allows patients with Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions to resume functional and fulfilling lives without the need for radical surgeries.
Hugh Herr
Biomechatronic leg joints
The invention of "bionic" knee and ankle prostheses by American biophysicist Hugh Herr at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) not only allows amputees to pursue fully mobile lifestyles, but even lets them compete as world-class athletes.
Thomas Oxley and Nicholas Opie
A brain implant for two-way communication with external devices
Thomas Oxley and Nicholas Opie invented the Stentrode, an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) that enables patients living with paralysis to communicate through thought.