At Ottobock, you are part of one of the most innovative companies in the industry. Our history is filled with examples of inventiveness and outstanding flair for engineering.

“Artificial intelligence refers to systems that recognise patterns and that learn and control things independently. We also use these types of systems in our products.” Martin, Head of Software and Electronics Development, sees the Myo Plus prosthesis control device as an example of one such system that is now in use. Myo Plus uses intelligent pattern recognition to transform thought impulses into natural movement sequences – which is entirely invisible from the outside. Martin’s advice is to take a closer look: “Our company has engineers from various disciplines working closely together, including electrical engineering, medical technology and mechatronics – along with computer scientists like me. A lot of what Ottobock does isn’t really visible from the outside. It’s worth taking a look at how diverse our company is.”

“Numerous new materials are available on the market. Engineers at Ottobock then take care of turning them into new products,” says Helle. When it comes to high-tech materials, most material engineers think of ultralight carbon and resilient alloys – which are in fact used in many Ottobock products. But we also use an extremely varied range of materials. Helle, for example, is a textile engineer. “Our MyActive suits are used to treat children with neuromotor disorders. We take their body measurements, prepare patterns and tailor the orthosis to them. I remember a boy who was suddenly able to complete an obstacle course. It was such a thrilling moment, and it really motivated me.”

Human physiology is complex, and using technology to replicate its functions has always been a core aspect of our work. We are continually developing new ways of breaking down barriers between biology and technology so we can make our products a totally natural part of life. André, Head of Development for mechanics, says: “Products like the Genium X3 are particularly impressive. It’s capable of replicating the human gait pattern in a very natural way. Products like this are what make Ottobock unique.” While André can’t discuss exactly what he is currently working on, he says he always finds his work exciting: “There are always new challenges and tasks across the entire product portfolio. It never gets boring. We tackle new challenges every day.”

“Our products merge data from various smart sensors to create a smart system. This lets the products analyse and control movements, walking speeds, and alignments, for example,” explains Manius, Head of Application Software. Launched in 2011, the Genium is a smart leg prosthesis that simulates a natural, physiological gait almost perfectly with the help of microprocessors, microsensors and micromotors. This lets users move with maximum safety, even on difficult surfaces. “At Ottobock, engineers develop products to enable human mobility and thereby improve people’s quality of life.”

Nadine came to Ottobock to write her Bachelor’s thesis in 2017 – and stayed. She is currently managing three change projects in Product Refinement und Shared Services. Development and production at Ottobock meet the highest standards. This also includes improving products already in the market. “Quality is extremely important. The products have to be safe – and, above all, they have to fulfil the promises we make to users.” Nadine applied because she identified with the company’s philosophy. “Using innovative products to people first and help people – with or without disabilities – that’s important to me.”

"When I see the glow in users' eyes as soon as they realize they can handle certain life situations much better while trying out our products and prototypes: It's exactly these moments that make working at Ottobock so special," says Anna, a developer at the Vienna site. Anna studied sports technology and took the leap from sports equipment development to medical technology during her master's degree. She has not regretted this step to this day. Anna heard about Ottobock through a friend and was immediately enthusiastic. Above all, she is fascinated by the possibilities and current developments in the field of prosthetics and orthotics. After writing her master's thesis at Ottobock, she initially started as a working student and is now a permanent part of the Biomechanics, Control & Simulation department.

„Wir haben häufiger Kontakt zu RollstuhlanwenderInnen und es ist begeisternd zu sehen, wie sie unsere Produkte nutzen, was gut ist und was verbessert werden kann.“ Heiko hat nach seinem Studium der Elektrotechnik 2017 als Entwicklungsingenieur bei Ottobock Human Mobility in Königsee gestartet, bevor er kurze Zeit später den Aufbau des Standortes an der Bötzow Brauerei Berlin begleitet hat und seither dort tätig ist. Bei Ottobock Human Mobility in Berlin werden die Produkte, insbesondere Rollstühle, bis zum Prototypenstatus aufgebaut und für die Vorserienproduktion in Königsee vorbereitet. Hauptverantwortlich ist Heiko für die Produktentwicklung von Steuerungssystemen, Software sowie Sensorik, erstellt Lastenhefte und treibt die digitale Transformation voran. Neben seinen Aufgaben schätzt er besonders das Arbeitsumfeld: „Der Standort in der Bötzow Brauerei ist super und auch ein Grund, warum ich gerne zur Arbeit komme. Meine KollegInnen sind gut drauf. Wir haben eine tolle Arbeitsatmosphäre!“

"No matter where you are working at Ottobock, you have a direct impact on someone else's life," says Marie, Quality Assurance Department Manager at the Königsee site. "It drives me to ensure and advance the quality promise together with my team day by day." After Marie completed her master's degree in mechanical engineering and gained several years of professional experience, she joined Ottobock as a Production Engineer. In the meantime, she leads her own team that systematically analyzes and tackles challenges. The tasks are varied: from incoming goods inspection to process improvements to transferring theoretical ideas to series production. "We manage to make product variance manageable and provide users worldwide with products that suit them."

Our headquarters are located in Duderstadt in the German region of southern Lower Saxony, 25 km from the ICE train station in Göttingen. Duderstadt is where we develop our groundbreaking products including new prostheses, orthoses and exoskeletons, which are then used by people around the world.

Our location in Berlin is home to our development department for high-tech wheelchairs. This location is also the hub of the company’s digital transformation. Interdisciplinary teams develop and test innovative products, technologies and business models on the premises of the former Bötzow Brewery in the heart of the city.

The history of our location in Königsee, Thuringia, goes back to our founding year of 1919. Today, engineers work closely with production to test new materials, develop prototypes for new wheelchairs and transfer them to fabrication here in the hometown of the company’s founder.

Ottobock has been doing business in Austria for over 50 years. In addition to fabrication, it’s the research and development department that makes Vienna one of the key locations in the group of undertakings. More than 600 employees bring high-tech prosthetic innovations to life here.