What happens when lived experience meets entrepreneurship?
In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Owen Kent, an entrepreneur living with muscular dystrophy who is reshaping the future of assistive technology.
After facing limited access to effective rehabilitation tools, Owen co-founded a company to develop a simple, home-based exoskeleton designed to make recovery more accessible. From customer discovery and design thinking to universal design principles, Owen shares how building technology for underserved communities requires more than innovation — it requires empathy.
We dive into:
• Developing a reflex knee brace for post-surgery recovery
• The RAMP (Robotic Assisted Mobility and Manipulation Platform)
• Robotic wheelchairs with advanced AI and robotic arms
• Partnering with the University of Pittsburgh to advance mobility technology
• Why qualitative feedback matters more than traditional KPIs
• The future of robotics in independent living
This conversation is a powerful look at how assistive tech, AI, and robotics are unlocking independence for people with disabilities and the aging population.
If you’re passionate about innovation, accessibility, entrepreneurship, or the future of mobility — this episode is for you.
🎧 Subscribe to We’re Not Stumped for more stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusive design.
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
Bradley's journey as a below-the-knee amputee began in September 2014 due to a prolonged battle with osteomyelitis and multiple surgeries. His pivotal moment came three weeks prior to the amputation when he accompanied Jeff Linton, then president of Midwestern [...]
In this episode of the We’re Not Stumped podcast, meet Lisa Strube! An unfortunate accident when she was 18 led to an above knee amputation. Lisa is a therapist who has confronted her own challenges. Through the support of [...]
J.J. Orsak was living a great life as he was married to his high school sweetheart, had a long time career as an electrician and celebrating a brand-new grandbaby in December 2018. But all of that changed in an [...]
