Elena García Armada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elena García Armada
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Elena García Armada in 2018
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| Born | 1971 Valladolid, Spain
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| Education | Technical University of Madrid |
| Occupation | Engineer, roboticist |
Elena García Armada (born in 1971 in Valladolid, Spain) is a Spanish engineer and roboticist. She is a leading researcher who founded a company to create special robotic suits. Elena is famous for developing the first bionic exoskeleton designed for children with a condition called spinal muscular atrophy. For this amazing invention, she won the European Inventor Award Popular Prize in 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Elena García Armada was born in Valladolid, Spain, in 1971. She loved learning about how things work. In 2002, she earned a special degree called a doctorate in robotic engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Her studies focused on making robots that walk move faster and more steadily in different places.
After her doctorate, Elena started working at the Center for Automation and Robotics (CAR) CSIC-UPM. This center focuses on creating robots for different industries. She also continued her training at the Leg Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.
Meeting Daniela: An Inspiration
In 2009, Elena met a six-year-old girl named Daniela. Daniela had become tetraplegic (meaning she couldn't move her arms or legs) after a traffic accident. At that time, there were no robotic exoskeletons designed for children.
Meeting Daniela made Elena determined to create these special robotic suits for kids. Her goal was to help children like Daniela. These exoskeletons would help children who had injuries or certain muscle diseases to walk again. They would also help them with their physical therapy.
Elena's Work and Inventions
Elena García Armada still works at the Centre for Automation and Robotics (CSIC-UPM). She leads her own team of researchers. They create artificial legs and special four-legged robots. They also develop flexible "artificial muscles" that help robots move smoothly.
Her team's main goal is to make robots that walk perform better. They work on making robot feet interact well with the ground. They also create new parts that help robots move strongly and steadily. Their research includes designing and controlling quick four-legged robots and exoskeletons that help people walk.
In 2013, Elena co-founded a company called Marsi Bionics. This company grew out of her work at CAR. Marsi Bionics builds adjustable robotic exoskeletons for children. These suits have small motors that act like muscles. They give children the strength they need to stand up and walk.
Throughout her career, Elena has written many scientific articles. She has published 80 international articles and one book about how robots walk. She is also part of the group that plans the important IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.
Awards and Honors
Elena García Armada has received many awards for her important work:
- In 2020, Robohub, an online platform about robotics, named her one of the "30 women in robotics you need to know about."
- In 2021, she received the "Fermina Orduña" Technological Innovation Award from the Community of Madrid. She also received an Honorable Mention as Industrial Engineer of the Year.
- In 2022, she was awarded the Red Cross Gold Medal. She also received a Special Mention in the I UICM Professional Woman Awards. Business Insider also gave her the "Better Capitalism Top Insiders 2022" Award.
- In June 2022, she won the European Inventor Award Popular Prize. This award was given by the European Patent Office (EPO) for her amazing design of a children's exoskeleton.
- In February 2023, Elena was given the special title of Doctor honoris causa by Miguel de Cervantes European University in Valladolid. This is an honorary degree given to people who have made great contributions.
- In March 2023, she received a "Premio Nacional de Discapacidad Reina Letizia" Research and Innovation Award from the Government of Spain. The Community of Madrid also honored her with a Technology Award.
- In July 2022, the Spanish Federation of Executive, Professional and Managerial Women (FEDEPE) gave Elena the Leadership Professional Woman Award.
See also
In Spanish: Elena García Armada para niños
