Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA, formerly Otto Bock, is an international company based in Duderstadt Germany, that operates in the field of orthopedic technology.

Faced with high demand that could not be met with traditional handicraft or artisanal methods, Otto Bock began the mass-production of prosthetic components, thus laying the foundation for the orthopedic industry.

[8][7] Max Näder, after completing his secondary education in 1935, commenced his professional journey by undertaking training as an orthopedic mechanic and industrial clerk at Otto Bock.

[9] A company chronicle quotes former employees as saying that from 1942 onwards, around 100 Russian women aged between 18 and 22 were employed in the bandage, sewing and timber departments.

[7] After World War II, when all the family's private assets as well as the factory in Königsee had been confiscated by the Soviet occupiers,[9] the company settled in Duderstadt in southern Lower Saxony in 1946.

In 1955, Ottobock exported the first 500 Jüpa knees to the U.S.[12][13] The establishment of an American branch in Minneapolis in 1958 marked the beginning of the company's international sales structure.

The pyramid adapter, patented in 1969, connects the prosthetic foot, knee joint and stem and allows static corrections as well as the exchange of the modules.

To mark the company's 90th anniversary, the newly built Science Center Medical Technology was inaugurated in Berlin in June 2009.

[19] Advancements in electronic knee joint components and mechatronic prosthetic feet, led to enhanced individual fitting and personalised care for recipients.

In 2011, these technological improvements enabled prosthetic users to walk backwards safely, overcome obstacles, or climb stairs in alternating steps for the first time.

[21][22] In February 2017, Ottobock purchased the myoelectric arm or hand prostheses developed under the product name BeBionic from the British medical technology company Steeper.

[35][36] In November 2019, Ottobock was compelled to sell the U.S.-based prothesis manufacturer Freedom Innovations LLC and divest all assets acquired via its purchase of the industry competitor in 2017.

[40] In December 2019, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced that it will provide up to €100 million to Ottobock to support the company's development of new products.

[41] In 2018, Ottobock's new generation of orthoses incorporated sensor technology to regulate the stance and swing phases of the leg throughout the gait cycle, enabling an almost natural walking pattern.

[48] By the end of 2022, Handelsblatt reported that the IPO had been abandoned due to unfavourable market conditions and that the financial investor EQT was considering a direct sale of its shares.

[65] The Board of Directors manages the business of Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA and determines the basic guidelines and strategic direction of the company.

[75] Kathrin Dahnke was hired by Ottobock in July 2021 after she left her position as CFO at German electric lights manufacturer Osram.

[77] By February 2022, the company had expanded its operations to a total of almost 52 sites distributed across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

[88] Additionally, the company continuously optimises processes within its orthopaedic workshops to enhance the quality and effectiveness of its treatments, orthotics and prosethic products.

SuitX is a spin-off from the Robotics and Human Engineering Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, and focuses on the research and development of exoskeletons for both professional and medical applications.

[91][92] In 2009, Ottobock reestablished its presence in Berlin by opening the Science Center at Potsdamer Platz, marking a return to the city where the company was originally founded in Kreuzberg in 1919.

[95] In the summer of 2018, Ottobock relocated to the renovated former Bötzow Brewery buildings, leading to the closure of the Science Center Berlin to the public.

[98] After acquiring the site in 2010, Ottobock initiated a revitalization project based on a master plan designed by architect David Chipperfield.

Many athletes rely heavily on technical aids that undergo extreme stresses, especially wheelchairs in contact sports, which often suffer damage.

[105] To address this, Ottobock deploys a technical team on-site during the games and establishes workshops near the Paralympic village, and at key training and competition venues.

[107][108] Advertising partners in this area include paralympians Johannes Floors,[109] Léon Schäfer, Anna Schaffelhuber[110] and Heinrich Popow.

[113] In Rio on 10 September, the IPC's president, Sir Philip Craven, announced that Ottobock had agreed to extend its world-wide partnership to the end of 2020, encompassing the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.