Business Profile
Kinova is a Canadian company engaged into the design and manufacture of innovative solutions in the field of personal robotics. The team of experts at Kinova is dedicated to offer practical robotic platforms solving real and concrete problematic of daily life, especially in rehabilitation.
HISTORY
Kinova was founded in 2006 by the co-founders Charles Deguire (CEO) and Louis-Joseph Caron L’Écuyer (CTO), two passionate, inspiring and visionary young engineers. It all started when Charles Deguire got the «invention bug» at an early age when supporting and assisting three of his uncles who had muscular dystrophy. One of them, Jacques Forest, had already devised an ingenious makeshift arm that could pick up all kinds of objects. Motivated and inspired by his inventive uncle, who passed away in 1993, Charles Deguire took up his robotic arm idea and elaborated on it.
A KEY ADDITION
In 2008, Kinova’s founders welcomed a new partner in their rank as the new chairman and associate, Richard Garon. With an experience of over 15 years in product development and manufacturing, he allowed the company to become a world class leader in robotic manufacturing.
THUS WAS BORN JACO
Launched in 2009, JACO is a six-axis robotic manipulator arm with a three-fingered hand. This little marvel of engineering significantly improves the lives of persons with reduced mobility by assisting anyone with an upper body mobility impairment to perform complex actions.
Building on its success, Kinova intends to pursue and further its research and development of products designed to make life easier for individuals by offering a wide range of unique and innovative personal robotic solutions.
JACO, A FAMILY STORY
JACO was named in honor of Jacques Forest, the uncle of C.E.O. and co-founder Charles Deguire. Inventor of the Manipulo arm, Jacques Forest suffered from muscular dystrophy and retained only the use of his left thumb, which severely limited his capacity to carry-out some of the daily tasks to which he was accustomed. Being a passionate inventor, he began modifying the tools he used on a daily basis. In 1993, he created his first tele-manipulator. His perseverance and ingenuity has inspired many, thus this next generation technical aid proudly carries his nickname, JACO.
