Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc (EKSO)

[Rhetorical]

My thoughts on Ottobock's Paexo:

In terms of leverage, you'll notice the Ekso vest has support going all the way out to the forearms whereas the Paexo cuts off at the upper arm. I'd like to see quantitatively how much weight each exoskeleton can support at various angles of the arm before passing judgement. I'd also like to know the price of the Paexo.

My guess is that Ekso competitors figure they will undercut the market to have an easier point of entry and then build up to the assistance levels of the original product over time once they have captured market cap. I'm dubious about products that one-down the market instead of one-upping it. Still, it's something that Ekso has to put up with one way or another.

With medical exoskeletons this 'one-downing' has been mitigated by FDA stroke approval, which has helped by setting a bar that is hard to reach with out fast paced, variable assistance which requires a lot of sophistication most other companies have foregone to cut price. I can't see something like this existing in the industrial sector, so Ekso will have to be fast on their feet in responding to competition. I hypothesize market success will ultimately come down to an assistance power to cost ratio.