Blue Arbor Technologies, a Michigan-based medical device company developing next-generation neuromuscular interfaces for people with limb loss, has announced a strategic partnership with global prosthetics and human bionics leader Ottobock, anchored by a $5 million investment to launch its Series A financing.
The investment positions Ottobock as lead investor, a major shareholder, and a board participant as the companies work together to accelerate clinical validation, product development, and commercial readiness of Blue Arbor’s flagship RESTORE Neuromuscular Interface System. The collaboration aims to redefine upper- and lower-limb prosthetics by delivering a clinically validated, fully implanted neuromuscular interface that can restore more natural, intuitive movement for people living with limb loss.
Blue Arbor’s RESTORE System, which has received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation and has been accepted into the agency’s Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program Pilot, is designed to directly connect advanced prostheses to a patient’s residual muscles and peripheral nerves. The platform enables independent and simultaneous control of fingers, wrist, and elbow, unlocking dexterity, speed, and reliability that approach natural limb movement while providing enhanced control of commercially available robotic prostheses.
Momentum for the technology recently advanced with the completion of the first-in-human RESTORE procedure at the Medical University of Vienna. In December 2025, surgeons implanted the first patient with the RESTORE External Sensing Unit and placed system electrodes into multiple targeted muscle reinnervation sites. Within days, the patient demonstrated functional use of the system paired with a state-of-the-art Ottobock prosthetic, underscoring the interface’s intuitive control and streamlined clinical integration.
Unlike conventional prosthetic control approaches and other neuromuscular interface systems still under development that have yet to demonstrate fully implanted, in-human performance, the RESTORE System provides a direct link to muscles connected to the patient’s nerves. Signals are processed through a wireless sensing unit to enable simultaneous, multi-degree-of-freedom movement commands. In early feasibility human trials, the system has demonstrated stable, high-quality motor-signal capture for more than 5 years, addressing longstanding limitations in current and emerging prosthetic control solutions.
Blue Arbor’s scientific foundation is rooted in nearly two decades of research at the intersection of neuromuscular science, reconstructive surgery, and neural engineering. Founders Dr. Paul Cederna, President; Dr. Theodore Kung, Chief Medical Officer; and Dr. Alex Vaskov, Chief Technology Officer, have collectively secured more than $60 million in direct research grant funding and produced over 200 peer-reviewed publications supporting the underlying science of the RESTORE platform.
The partnership with Ottobock, founded in Berlin in 1919 and operating in 45 countries with approximately 9,300 employees, reflects growing industry confidence in neuromuscular interface technology as the next frontier in human bionics. Ottobock has supported the Paralympics since 1988 and maintains one of the world’s largest international patient care networks, with around 400 clinics globally.
The RESTORE Neuromuscular Interface System remains an investigational device and has not been approved or cleared for commercial distribution.
KEY QUOTES:
“Blue Arbor’s neuromuscular interface represents a highly promising innovation for the next technological leap in prosthetic control — one that aligns perfectly with our mission to enhance human mobility through meaningful innovation. We were impressed by their first-in-human case at the Medical University of Vienna and are excited to partner with them as they move into clinical trials.”
Oliver Jakobi, Chief Executive Officer of Ottobock
“The RESTORE System is about restoring intuitive, volitional movement – not asking patients to adapt to technology, but designing technology that adapts to human biology. Ottobock’s investment and strategic partnership validate the transformative potential of this platform and position us to move faster toward broad clinical impact.”
Tod Borton, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Arbor Technologies
“What makes this technology remarkable is how quickly patients can translate intent into movement. We are seeing control that feels more natural and responsive than anything currently available, which has profound implications for patient independence and quality of life.”
Dr. Oskar Aszmann, Director of the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Restoration of Extremity Function at the Medical University of Vienna
