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HomeHorse RidingTitle: "Revolutionizing Rehabilitation: KUKA's Hirob Robotic Arm Simulates Horse Riding for Therapy" KUKA...

Title: "Revolutionizing Rehabilitation: KUKA’s Hirob Robotic Arm Simulates Horse Riding for Therapy"


KUKA turned one of their robotic arms into a horse riding simulator of sorts. Well, it’s actually called the Hirob, or a rehabilitation robot developed by Intelligent Motion. This company focuses on robotic therapy solutions and used a KUKA robotic arm to simulate horse movements for hippotherapy.

This is a balance therapy system, not just a robotic arm, made to boost trunk control and stability for patients with neurological conditions. How? It copies a horse’s three-dimensional walking motion using a KUKA robotic arm, set to mimic the rhythmic, multi-directional movements of its gait.

Hirob’s seat, shaped like a horse’s back, moves to match a horse’s walking rhythm, engaging the rider’s trunk and pelvic muscles. It improves trunk steadiness, boosts static as well as dynamic balance, activates trunk/back muscles more, and encourages specific pelvic motions for improved posture. Unlike a real horse, Hirob provides a secure, controlled space, lowering risks like falls, and lets therapists adjust the movement’s intensity and type for each patient.

What’s hippotherapy? It’s a therapy that uses horse movements to give motor and sensory input, helping patients improve balance, coordination, and muscle strength. Hirob does this automatically by letting the patient sit on its saddle-like seat while the robotic arm moves below. The patient must react to these motions, which sparks the neuromuscular system in a way much like riding a real horse. This is really useful for those who can’t access real horses due to logistical, cost, or safety barriers.

KUKA has developed a rehabilitation robot called Hirob, which utilizes a robotic arm to simulate the movements of a horse for hippotherapy. This innovative system is designed to enhance trunk control and stability in patients with neurological conditions by mimicking the three-dimensional gait of a horse. The robotic arm creates rhythmic, multi-directional movements that engage the rider’s core muscles.

The Hirob features a seat shaped like a horse’s back that moves in sync with the simulated horse’s walking rhythm. This design helps improve trunk steadiness and balance while activating back muscles and encouraging proper pelvic motions. Unlike traditional horse riding, Hirob offers a secure and controlled environment, allowing therapists to customize the intensity and type of movement for each patient.

Hippotherapy leverages horse movements to provide motor and sensory input, aiding in the improvement of balance, coordination, and muscle strength. Hirob automates this process, enabling patients to experience the therapeutic benefits of riding without the logistical and safety challenges associated with real horses.

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Title: "Behind the Scenes of ‘The Royals’: Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar Share Their Journey in Horse Riding and Character Preparation"

The Royals is releasing on OTT on May 9, 2025. Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar are starring in the series, alongside Zeenat Aman, Sumukhi Suresh, Kavya Trehan, Vihaan Samat, Lisa Mishra, and more. We sat with the team for a candid chat about the series, Ishaan’s preparation for the physically straining scenes, and Bhumi’s take on her strong character.

When asked about horse-riding and the polo matches that they had to film for the series, Ishaan, who plays Maharaj Aviraaj Singh Morpur, called the preparation "glute-smashing." Vihaan Samat, who plays the role of his brother, Digvijay Singh Morpur, said, "Honestly, it was one of my most favourite parts about this show. It was the three of us for two months. We were going around in the mud pit in Mahalakshmi Race Course, getting the understanding of a horse, being sensitive to its movements, finding inner control and doing the same motion again and again. It’s like when your parents used to drop you off to some swimming class or something and you used to do the same thing. You were just there, focused and nothing else mattered. Now we call it a job. Back then it was class, right? But it’s literally class. You were just there and you were perfecting it under Mitesh sir, who was a wonderful teacher."

He added, "Then we got to Jaipur. We were riding out in these fields that were meant for polo. We were going at full speed, galloping and cantering with these amazing horses. It’s a privilege to be able to do that as a part of your job." Ishaan chimed in, "We got to learn a skill and make some friends, some horsey friends. And all of us got to do a little bit of it."

Bhumi Pednekar, whose horse-riding scenes didn’t quite make the cut, noted that she had the same amount of fun learning the skill.

The Royals is currently streaming on Netflix.

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