A decade of Cybathlon: impact on public visibility, scientific dissemination and technology transfer

The Cybathlon is an international competition in which individuals with physical disabilities complete activities of daily living using advanced assistive technologies, including robotic devices. International championships were held in Zurich in 2016, 2020, and 2024, with up to eight disciplines that included races using powered prosthetic limbs, exoskeletons, and wheelchairs. Between 2015 and 2024, more than 120 teams from over 30 countries participated in Cybathlon competitions and affiliated events. The aim of this work is to systematically assess the Cybathlon’s broader impact over its first decade, with particular attention to public visibility, scientific dissemination, and the translation of assistive technologies toward academic, clinical, and industrial application. To this end, we combine a longitudinal analysis of media coverage (2014–2025), a bibliometric review of scientific publications, and a survey of participating teams. A total of 6,944 media items were identified, predominantly from online sources (73.6%), with the highest coverage originating from Switzerland (26%), followed by the USA, Italy, and Germany. By January 2025, 297 scientific publications referred to the Cybathlon, with author affiliations most frequently from Switzerland, Italy, the USA, and China. Among participating teams, 79% reported accelerated prototype development due to Cybathlon participation, and over one-third attributed new educational materials, clinical methods, or collaborations to their involvement. These effects were frequently linked to early and sustained user integration, iterative testing under realistic conditions, and close interaction between engineers, clinicians, and end users. Participation directly contributed to the founding of three companies and supported five additional ventures. Additionally, at least 21 established companies participated during the various editions. Overall, the Cybathlon emerges as a unique, competition-driven innovation ecosystem that not only increase public awareness of assistive technologies but also shapes research priorities, support user-centered design practices, and facilitates pathways toward clinical adaptation and commercialization.