Hollis Pierce recently experienced a significant milestone by taking his first-ever selfie, surrounded by the engineering team responsible for enabling this moment. Pierce, a 38-year-old advocate for individuals with physical disabilities and head of accessibility and partnerships at Sielo Robotics in Ottawa, utilized the company’s assistive robotic arm, Arlo, controlled through a space mouse device for navigating 3D environments.
Despite an initial hour-long learning curve, Pierce found operating the fourth-generation Arlo model akin to playing a video game. He openly shares feedback with his team on the arm’s strengths and weaknesses. Sielo Robotics, originating from the University of Ottawa, prioritizes user input and recently secured a million dollars in seed funding.
The company, in collaboration with The 8-80 Collaborative, aims to advance their assistive technology, with plans for wider testing to enhance Arlo’s functionality for daily tasks like nose wiping and drinking. The project excites Rafaël Hébert, Sielo’s chief technology officer, as users like Pierce demonstrate the arm’s potential in aiding various activities.
Sielo Robotics faces the challenge of replicating intricate human movements in unpredictable settings. However, they leverage user feedback to adapt their technology to diverse control methods, including eye gaze, sip and puff, and joysticks. Masoud Karimi, the robotics control engineer, is developing an AI system to streamline routine task execution, particularly beneficial for individuals with disabilities.
The company’s long-term vision includes making their device cost-effective and insurance-covered, aiming for home deployment by the end of the year. With a focus on accessibility and affordability, Sielo Robotics is poised to revolutionize assistive technology for individuals with disabilities, an endeavor that excites both their team and users like Hollis Pierce.
