“Let’s get started”, said THERY – When a robot becomes a therapist
Everything changed in an instant for Jens, 58. He was cycling to work when he suddenly blacked out. Instinctively, he pulled the brakes—just in time to avoid collapsing onto the pavement. Bystanders rushed to help and called an ambulance. It soon became clear that Jens would need a new knee. The days following the surgery proved challenging. Movements that had once been effortless suddenly became difficult.
The therapy of tomorrow – THERY
In the clinic, Jens received physiotherapy, but overworked staff and long waiting times slowed his progress. Then THERY, the mobile therapy robot, arrived. With its calm voice, it encouraged Jens: “Let’s get started”. THERY guided him through exercises, provided immediate feedback and documented his progress. Thanks to the additional therapy sessions with THERY and the support of the clinical team, Jens began to notice the first meaningful improvements within just a few weeks.
The need for innovative solutions
Jens’s story is fictional, yet reflects the reality faced by thousands. The shortage of qualified physiotherapists is growing, and traditional treatment approaches are reaching their limits. Long waiting times and limited therapy sessions often delay recovery.
This is where THERY comes in. The robot takes over repetitive exercises, giving therapists more time to focus on the individual needs of their patients. With its mobile design and intelligent software, THERY helps therapists improve patients’ mobility and motor function in a targeted manner, monitor progress and provide direct feedback. This boosts patients’ motivation and supports measurable progress while reducing the therapists’ workload.
TEDIRO: The road to market success
THERY is developed by TEDIRO Healthcare Robotics GmbH, a German limited liability company founded in 2020 in Ilmenau. The company develops mobile, MDR-compliant robotics solutions for therapy and diagnostics. MDR stands for Medical Device Regulation, the EU’s stringent regulatory framework that sets out the requirements for the clinical evaluation, certification, monitoring and market approval of medical devices across all member states. With a seven-figure seed investment from backers such as bm|t (Beteiligungsmanagement Thüringen – a German public investment company based in Thuringia) and the Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen (TGFS – an early-stage technology investment fund based in Saxony), TEDIRO was able to advance development and clinical testing phases and is now preparing for series production.
However, the development and market introduction of THERY was far from straightforward, particularly in the highly regulated medtech sector. At this stage, leap:up, a consultancy specialising in medtech market access and regulatory support, played a crucial role by providing TEDIRO with specialist expertise and practical guidance. A key issue was the approval and registration of the robot as a medical device under the MDR, a significant challenge for any medtech company. leap:up enabled TEDIRO to navigate these hurdles efficiently. In addition, leap:up strengthened the company’s links with clinics, enabling clinical pilot trials (small-scale clinical tests of the device in real healthcare settings) and valuable feedback from healthcare professionals. Beyond this, leap:up ensured that TEDIRO gained visibility at major industry events and established contacts critical for building a strong market presence. With this comprehensive support, TEDIRO was able to pave the way for successful scaling.
Therapy robots like THERY are no longer science fiction—they are already transforming rehabilitation care. TEDIRO is well positioned to play a central role in digital healthcare, not least thanks to strong partners such as leap:up. Patients like “Jens” are already benefiting from the technology—and many more will follow.