Ottobock’s Science Center Berlin, Germany, is celebrating its five-year anniversary. Since the center’s inauguration in June 2009 by Hans Georg Näder, president and CEO of Ottobock, Duderstadt, Germany, more than 525,000 individuals have toured the facility.
The permanent, three-story exhibit, “Discover What Moves Us,” offers interactive, hands-on displays and explores topics such as walking and grasping, how people process environmental stimuli, how innovative technology solutions are based on nature, anatomy, and the statistical risk of suffering from diabetes or stroke and other common causes for prosthetic or wheelchair use. The Science Center Berlin also offers special exhibits and provides a forum where scientific, political, and orthopedic technology experts from around the world gather for the exchange of ideas on mobility-related topics.
“With over a half million visitors recorded-including ambassadors, heads of state, military officials, politicians, and popular artists-there’s no question the Science Center Berlin is a great success,” said Scott Schneider, chief marketing officer for Ottobock North America, Minneapolis, Minnesota. “There is special significance with its location in the heart of the city as Ottobock was founded in Berlin in 1919. The company has in a sense returned to its roots to offer inspiration and education regarding human mobility, and it’s gratifying to consider the large numbers from all walks of life who have been exposed to the orthotic and prosthetic and complex rehab industries due to this endeavor.”
