Japet is a medical device manufacturer best-known for its Atlas exoskeleton, a unique device that promises to relieve pain and enhance mobility in those with back pain. Here’s our overview.
What is Japet?
Japet is a medical device company that specializes in using robotics to improve the human experience. In the words of the company’s official website,
“Inspired by robotics, Japet creates the experience of a new generation.”
Japet is based in Lille, France. The company was founded in 2016. Japet’s current flagship product is the Japet Atlas exoskeleton, introduced at CES 2017 as part of the Hardware Battlefield.
Japet was founded by Antoine Noel and Damien Bratic, who met at engineering school. At school, they worked together developing robotic hands for children with disabilities. Eventually, they moved onto separately developing other healthcare technologies before teaming up to create the Atlas exoskeleton. Today, Antoine is the CTO and Damien is the CEO of Japet Medical Devices.
What is Japet’s Atlas?
Japet’s Atlas is a medical device that fits around your abdomen in order to target back pain, which is the number one cause of employee sick leave worldwide.
Here’s how CTO Antoine Noel explained the device at CES 2017:
“We realized that exoskeletons could be a solution for the major health problem that is back pain. We did a mockup of a device that would apply force on the torso to decompress the spine and relieve the patient. Now we have three doctors on the team and we slowly began to realize the real use of the device would be to relieve the patient and allow him to slowly retrain his body.”
When you place the Atlas device around your torso, it takes pressure off your spine. It’s designed as a solution for those suffering from severe back pain.
While wearing Atlas, you go through a 30 to 45 minute session. Each session consists of exercises guided by an application on a connected Android tablet (also provided by Japet).
While in use, Atlas uses four micro-motors to apply pressure to your spine while also analyzing movements with a series of on-board sensors. Together, these technologies relieve pain while also helping to rehabilitate the patient.
Data from each session is gathered via Bluetooth and transferred to the connected Android tablet. Each patient’s data is analyzed and tracked over time.
Right now, the device is designed to be used under the supervision of medical professionals in a clinical setting – like rehabilitation centers or medical clinics.
Japet Atlas Pricing
Each Atlas is priced at $4500, so this is a device marketed mostly to rehabilitation centers and medical facilities instead of household consumers. However, the company believes that household users do represent a significant market, although it will require a substantial price reduction to target that market.
Japet Atlas Release Date
Japet Atlas is not yet ready to release Atlas on the market. Like other medical devices, Atlas needs to jump through the hoops set by regulatory bodies like the FDA before it can be released to the market.
Japet has announced plans to begin testing in June 2017 using 10 patients at a local hospital. The company will sell the device on the native European market before the end of 2017.
Selling Atlas in the United States is expected to take longer. The company plans to release Atlas in the United States within 2 years, “a delayed debut due in part to American regulatory bodies like the FDA” explains TechCrunch.
Watch for Japet’s Atlas to debut across the EU in the near future.
