Robot Helps People With Paralysis Regain Independence at Home

Imagine losing the ability to get yourself a glass of water or close your own blinds, then getting that freedom back through a robot you control from your phone.

That's the reality for people using Stretch, a mobile robot developed by Hello Robot in Martinez, California. The company just earned recognition as a 2026 Technology Pioneer from the World Economic Forum, joining an elite group of 100 startups transforming how technology serves humanity.

Founded in 2017 by Aaron Edsinger and Charlie Kemp, two roboticists with decades of experience at MIT, Google, and Georgia Tech, Hello Robot took a different path than flashy robotics companies. Instead of building machines that perform impressive tricks for cameras, they focused on robots that quietly help real people with real needs.

Stretch works alongside people with severe mobility impairments, including those with quadriplegia. Users control the robot through a simple phone app to accomplish tasks many of us take for granted. Getting a drink of water, feeding themselves, adjusting window blinds—these everyday actions represent profound gains in independence for people who've lost the ability to move freely.

The robot is already deployed at hundreds of research, academic, and corporate locations. But the home pilots with individuals living with paralysis show its true impact. For someone who relies on caregivers for every basic need, being able to do even small tasks independently can transform their sense of agency and dignity.

Why This Inspires

Hello Robot represents a shift in how we think about advanced technology. The World Economic Forum specifically praised this year's Technology Pioneer cohort as "a new generation of robotics companies that prioritize human benefit over spectacle."

"The robotics world has spent years wowing us with highlight reels of machines doing the extraordinary," said Edsinger, Hello Robot's CEO. "What's been missing from the frame is the person the robot is actually supposed to help."

The company designed Stretch as an open-source platform, making it accessible to developers who want to build solutions for people with disabilities. Last year, Stretch 3 won the inaugural RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for Robots for Good. This May, they released Stretch 4 with improvements based on customer feedback.

Verena Kuhn, head of innovator communities at the World Economic Forum, captured what makes this recognition special. "Some of the most meaningful innovations are those built around people," she said.

When technology remembers it exists to serve people, not just impress them, everyone wins.