NIH Grants Exclusive License for Powered Walking Aids Tech
Published Date: 2/27/2026
Notice
Summary
The National Institutes of Health plans to give Bionic Power Inc. an exclusive license to use new technology that helps people walk better, especially those with movement problems. This means Bionic Power can develop and sell these powered gait assistance systems worldwide. If you want to comment or apply for a license, you need to act by March 16, 2026.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Exclusive License for Gait Devices
The National Institutes of Health is contemplating granting Bionic Power Inc. an exclusive, royalty-bearing patent license to practice listed inventions for "Powered Gait Assistance Systems". The prospective exclusive license territory may be worldwide where patent rights exist and the field of use is limited to "the treatment of human movement disorders."
Royalty Requirement and Confidentiality
The prospective exclusive license will be royalty-bearing. License applications filed in response to this notice will be presumed to contain business confidential information and will be released only as required under the Freedom of Information Act; public comments (not part of license applications) will not be treated confidentially and may be made publicly available.
Deadline to Apply or Comment
If you want to apply for a license or comment on the contemplated exclusive license, written comments and/or license applications must be received by the NCI Technology Transfer Center on or before March 16, 2026. Complete license applications timely filed will be treated as objections to the grant.
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