The Leonardo is proud to announce that the inaugural exhibit in its Innovation Gallery will feature Otto Bock HealthCare, an internationally known prosthetics and rehabilitation company with a strong Utah presence.
The exhibit will highlight Otto Bock’s ground-breaking work in prosthetics and movement technology, which increases independence for thousands who face challenges of amputations or reduced mobility. The Leonardo will create a compelling, interactive exhibit and supporting programs based on the company’s technologies, and the inspiring stories of the people who use them.
“The precision and beauty—or science and art—with which Otto Bock creates prosthetic limbs, as well as the personal stories of people using these technologies, support our mission and make the company an ideal first partner for The Leonardo’s Innovation Gallery,” said Alexandra Hesse, The Leonardo’s associate executive director and exhibits team lead on Innovation Showcase. “Otto Bock’s products translate to an extremely compelling, dynamic visitor experience on many levels. We hope the young people, students and adults who experience this exhibit will have a better understanding of the incredible innovation happening right here in our state, as well as the human, economic, and career possibilities companies like Otto Bock offer all of us.”
Otto Bock, which has a significant Utah presence and employs more than 100 people at its Salt Lake City Design and Manufacturing Center, is a leading manufacturer and developer of prosthetics. This exhibit will explore the complexities of human mobility, then delve deeper into the inner workings of prosthetic, orthotic and other rehab devices. Visitors will experience the electrodes, sensors, specialized materials, motors, computer programs, gears, microprocessors, hydraulics and other components utilized to create devices that help users get back to a mobile life. The exhibit will feature interactive displays and demonstrations that give visitors a sense of what it is like to use the technology. Visitors can also participate in films, personal and expert talks, and special events which offer additional perspectives.
“We are thrilled to offer the first exhibit in The Leonardo’s Innovation Gallery,” said Scott Schneider, Otto Bock’s Regional Chief Marketing Officer. “What makes this Gallery so unique, and so appropriate for us, is the emphasis on how innovative technology impacts human lives. For Otto Bock, technology is always personal—we’re trying to augment the incredibly complex functions and aesthetics of the human body.”
Utah plays an important quiet role in the innovation, research, engineering and development behind some of the world’s most important industries, including bioengineering and digital media and animation. One of The Leonardo’s main commitments is to bring the state’s cutting-edge innovations, people and companies to the public. To this end, The Leonardo is establishing a selection committee to identify future collaborators and Innovation Showcase exhibit partners on an on-going basis.
Innovation Gallery: The Leonardo’s Innovation Gallery is a 1,000-square-foot space on the museum’s second floor that showcases Utah research, products and companies — providing significance and context for ground-breaking work in ways that inspire visitors to take greater interest in local innovation. A high- level jury will select the content for the gallery, which will rotate every four to six months after the opening exhibit. Innovation Gallery is a component of The Leonardo’s Innovation Showcase, a building-wide programming emphasis that also includes competitions, visiting speakers, conferences, residency programs and online content.
Otto Bock
Established in 1919 in Germany, Otto Bock HealthCare opened its doors in the United States in 1958 and in Canada in 1978. Currently in its third generation as a privately held company, Otto Bock offers products and services to help people increase and retain their physical independence. Otto Bock designs and manufactures products across the globe. Otto Bock HealthCare’s Design and Manufacturing Center in Salt Lake City contributes to the Global Otto Bock product portfolio with work on products ranging from carbon fiber prosthetic feet, soft gel polyurethane liners for use on the residual limb as well as wheelchair cushions and seating systems for a range of users.
The Leonardo
Opening April 2011 in the heart of Utah’s capital city, The Leonardo is a science, technology and art center fostering creativity and innovation in young people and adults. The Leonardo’s on-wheels and community outreach programs already impact thousands of students, teachers and adults each year. When the center opens its downtown location next April, The Leonardo will feature visitor experiences with original multidisciplinary exhibits, multimedia installations, hands-on activities and workshops, classes and special events that fuse the science, tech and art worlds.
For more information contact Lisa Davis at lisadavisslc@att.net or (801) 230-9399.
