
Ask HN: What are startups working in field of Bionics and Biomechatronics? - ak93
I am quite interested in those field as well as interested in working for a startup. I want to know what is the future scope in those fields?
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officialchicken
A lot and not enough. My guess/hope is 40% of south Florida startups? 80% of
Minneapolis St. Paul startups? 33% of San Diego startups? Look around those
locations and Boston.

I used to do surgical AR. The immediate-now-future is nanodevices, rDNA pharma
/ gene therapy, and more exotic chemistry. Hardware and software only play a
supporting role and smaller role in the final clinically approved therapy. No
matter your background all require organic, molecular and various biochemistry
or medical skills - probably not as much mechanical engineering as you hope
now that CRISPR is here.

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ak93
But what about more hardware oriented bio support system. BIO+ MECHNICAL/
MECHATRONICS Like prosthesis, bionics arms, artificial limbs etc? The one you
mentioned is more on bio and chemistry side which I don't have a long term
focus and interest.

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officialchicken
I would guess that the ability to grow new limbs and organs in a e.g. a petri
dish is the end goal and where a lot of current development efforts are. My
feelings are really influenced by a couple of ME's I've worked with with
decades experience between them - they want to move towards software or
biochem, the writing is on the wall. The only way you can do implements or
tools is when you work with the creator of new medical procedures and they
need something that doesn't exist - and willing to wait 5-10 years for it to
pass FDA approval.

The DoD and VA are doing a lot of amazing work with biomech and limbs, if
that's you're interest.

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somesaba
I was thinking about this today. Neuroprosthetics with feedback is the most
exciting. The type where people can actually sense touch on the prosthetic
limb...but it's probably still in the "research" phase. Any startup trying to
do this may need to work with a doctor. You may also need to do surgery to
access the nerves...or maybe there's a better way..

I'd love to work on something like this too!

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ak93
Exactly, neuriprosthetics is one, we also have exoskeleton, soft bionics too..
I think it's a pretty wide and active field to work in.

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wprapido
israeli re:walk is perhaps the biggest player in the exoskeleton field

