About the Team
FREE Bionics Japan participated in the Global Innovation Challenge 2025 Assistive Robot Contest.
This marked their third participation, following GIC2021 and GIC2024.
FREE Bionics Japan is a Japanese subsidiary of FREE Bionics, a Taiwan-based company engaged in the research and development of walking-assist robots.FREE Bionics is dedicated to finding solutions for people with disabilities, and all team members remain committed to advancing technology with a strong sense of purpose.
Building on the spirit of Taiwan’s government-affiliated research institute, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the company continues to evolve with the goal of leading global welfare innovation from Taiwan to the world.
The robot used in the competition, FREE Walk, weighs approximately 20 kg and allows walking at a maximum speed of 2 km/h.
It is equipped with motors at the hip and knee joints, enabling users to stand, sit, and walk.
FREE Walk offers four control methods; in this competition, the robot was operated by the user using a controller mounted on a cane or walker.
By employing advanced algorithms, FREE Walk detects the user’s intention to move and posture, allowing the robot to respond accordingly.
In GIC2025, FREE Bionics Japan was the only team to challenge the tasks at the Tsukuba City venue.
Mr. Kohei Matsubara sustained a spinal cord injury at the twelfth thoracic vertebra in a traffic accident in 2014 and currently lives his daily life using a wheelchair.
He has previously participated in GIC2021 and GIC2024, making him the most frequently participating pilot in the history of GIC.
Continuing from his previous participation, he challenged Tasks 1 through 5.
Although he did not ultimately achieve the tasks this time, he was the only pilot to successfully navigate the entrance step, demonstrating a notable technical achievement.
