OTWorld 2026 opens in Leipzig today with 570+ exhibitors, start-ups, 3D printing, AI, orthopaedic footwear, prosthetics, neuro-orthotics and rehabilitation technology.
OTWorld 2026 opens in Leipzig next week, bringing the global prosthetics, orthotics, orthopaedic footwear, rehabilitation technology and assistive device community together from 19 to 22 May 2026. This year’s edition is especially significant because OTWorld is celebrating its 50th anniversary, with the motto “You make the difference.” The event will feature more than 570 exhibitors from over 40 countries, alongside the World Congress programme with more than 300 speakers from over 30 countries.
For CPOs, educators, distributors and clinic owners across India, the Middle East and Africa, OTWorld 2026 is likely to be one of the most important industry events of the year. The exhibition is expected to show not only new products, but also the direction of clinical practice: more digital workflows, more additive manufacturing, more AI-assisted processes, more neuro-orthotic options, and more integrated rehabilitation technology.
The Big Theme: Digitalisation Is Now Mainstream
The clearest signal from OTWorld 2026 is that digital O&P is no longer a side topic. The organisers have identified digitalisation and artificial intelligence as a major focus, with OTWorld.3D and OTWorld.education + research showcasing 3D scanning, additive manufacturing and AI-supported processes. The new Robotics + AI spotlight will show how intelligent systems and assistive technologies are entering clinical care, training and daily-life support.
For CPOs, this matters because the industry conversation is shifting from “should we go digital?” to “which digital workflow is clinically useful, affordable and scalable?” The most relevant exhibitors will not simply show scanners or printers in isolation. The real value will be in complete workflows: scan, assess, design, modify, manufacture, fit, document and repeat.
OTWorld.3D: The Must-Visit Area for Additive Manufacturing
The dedicated OTWorld.3D area in Hall 1 should be one of the main destinations for visitors interested in digital fabrication. The organisers describe it as a space where traditional orthotic, prosthetic and orthopaedic footwear craftsmanship meets modern technologies such as 3D printing, digital scanning, design workflows, new materials and highly customised products.
For IMEA clinics, this area may be especially useful because 3D printing is becoming more relevant for insoles, orthopaedic footwear, shoe lasts, sockets, orthoses, paediatric devices and custom therapy aids. The strongest technologies to watch will be those that reduce rework, improve reproducibility and make custom production more practical for busy clinical environments.
Among the product highlights, VOXELCARE is presenting its Infinity Automation 3D Printer, aimed at improving efficiency where manual print removal and frequent material handling become bottlenecks. INDEINDING is presenting the Hotbox MK1 Medical Line 3D Printer for orthopaedic footwear technology, while Rexha Last Technology is showing digitally modelled and 3D-printed orthopaedic shoe lasts created from foot scans or STL/OBJ data.
Orthopaedic Footwear Gets Its Own Spotlight
One of the most important developments at OTWorld 2026 is the renewed focus on orthopaedic footwear. OTWorld.shoe-technology, located in Hall 1, is designed as a central meeting point for orthopaedic footwear professionals, with exhibitors presenting technologies, materials, manufacturing methods, digital processes and product innovations.
The Meeting Point Foot & Shoe will focus on diabetic foot syndrome, with guided stations demonstrating care situations, treatment approaches and care pathways. This is highly relevant for IMEA, where diabetes-related foot complications remain a major clinical and public health challenge.
Product highlights in this area include XFeet, which is presenting a white-label platform for parametric custom insole design and production, including TPU and biosourced PA11 insoles, design in around five minutes per pair, sensor-connected insoles for plantar pressure and gait monitoring, and options for either finished insole production or STL files for in-clinic printing.
Bauerfeind is also highlighting a major update to Bodytronic ID:CAM, adding additive insole manufacturing through a 3D-printed rental model, while kokochii is presenting a 3D-printed cavus insole blank designed to reduce production time and support discreet footwear use.
Prosthetics: Upper Limb, Knees and Socket Interfaces
In prosthetics, Ottobock will be one of the major exhibitors to watch. The company has announced several OTWorld 2026 highlights, including a smart michelangelo prosthetic solution supported by AI-based myosmart plus control and the connectgrip app, allowing users to control up to eight grip and movement types. Ottobock is also launching a size S version, opening the multi-grip hand to a wider user group including teenagers and women.
Ottobock is also introducing iconiq, described as its first 3D-printed silicone liner. This is one of the most important launches to watch because it points directly to the next stage of prosthetic interface care: digitally produced, personalised liners that aim to bridge the gap between standard products and labour-intensive custom fabrication.
In lower-limb prosthetics, Reboocon Bionics is presenting lighter and improved versions of its Intuy Knee NEO, RISE and PRO motorised knees. GO Assistive Technology is presenting GO Knee, with messaging focused on practical reliability, cost and long-term use in settings where CPOs must balance patient need with funding realities.
For prosthetic workshops, Kosow-Concept is showing an assembly and adjustment aid for leg prostheses, while SPRINGER AKTIV is presenting Concept Ready, a liner concept designed to reduce production effort in daily operations. These may not attract the same attention as powered knees or bionic hands, but they are exactly the type of workflow tools that can improve consistency and productivity in clinical practice.
Orthotics and Neuro-Orthotics: From Braces to Microprocessor Systems
Orthotics will be another major area to watch, particularly neuro-orthotics and stance-and-swing control. Ottobock will present C-Brace Interim, an early rehabilitation fitting concept using the microprocessor-controlled C-Brace orthotic knee joint to help mobilise and verticalise patients with lower-limb paralysis. The company will also preview revoniq, a new SSCO knee joint intended for less active users who may not need the full functions of C-Brace.
Other orthotic highlights include SPORLASTIC’s EPI-CAST ORGANIC ROM upper-limb orthosis series, medi’s optimised Lumbamed braces, FH Münster’s MOTION test orthosis with integrated measurement technology, Step-On Components for AFO and KAFO construction, Bauerfeind’s Spinova Mum lumbar orthosis for pregnancy-related back and pelvic discomfort, and Allard International’s CROSS Hemi Shoulder textile orthosis for subluxation and shoulder pain.
For IMEA CPOs, these launches underline a broader trend: orthotics is becoming more segmented, more data-informed and more condition-specific. The future is not just “bracing”; it is better indication matching, better measurement, improved comfort and stronger links between orthotic design and rehabilitation goals.
Start-Ups: 24 Young Companies From 11 Countries
The OTWorld.start-ups area in Hall 3 will feature 24 start-ups from 11 countries, covering digital manufacturing, assistive systems, software, new materials, mobility and related technologies. Selected start-ups will also pitch at the Innovation Forum Digital Manufacturing in Hall 1.
This area should be especially interesting for anyone looking beyond established suppliers. Start-ups often reveal where the market is moving before large companies fully commit. For CPOs and distributors from IMEA, the most valuable start-ups will be those solving practical problems: faster custom design, lower-cost production, easier documentation, better mobile scanning, improved patient monitoring, and more accessible mobility technology.
One notable example is SnugFit Solutions, which is launching its Android SDK for mobile 3D scanning. The company says its system already supports around 100 O&P labs worldwide and processes thousands of scans daily. Cross-platform access matters because Android devices are widely used across IMEA, making mobile scanning more realistic for clinics, field services and distributed production networks.
Software, Prescription Management and Clinic Operations
OTWorld 2026 will also highlight the less glamorous but increasingly important area of digital operations. Hilfsmittel-Held is presenting digital prescription management for medical supply stores, designed to consolidate prescriptions and relevant information into structured digital workflows. IMC GmbH is presenting WASYMED, industry-specific software for medical supply stores and medical retailers.
For O&P businesses, this is a key theme. Digital transformation is not only about 3D printers and AI design. It is also about order flow, prescription handling, patient records, invoicing, production monitoring and reducing administrative friction. For clinics scaling across multiple branches or managing large referral networks, operational software may be as important as fabrication technology.
Rehabilitation Technology Is Growing Fast
The rehabilitation technology sector is larger than ever at OTWorld 2026, with more than 120 exhibitors. The organisers say this area will include walking and mobility aids, wheelchairs, electric mobility scooters and paediatric care solutions.
Highlights include several Sunrise Medical launches across active wheelchairs, seating and paediatric care, including SOPUR QS7 X, JAY LitePro Seat Cushion, expanded Children’s World solutions and STERLING S800. Other mobility and assistive technology highlights include EXXOMOVE features for BATEO and Carbonhand, MyEcc V5 eye control for electric wheelchairs, ergoflix vario, and DIETZ GROUP’s M-i rigid-frame wheelchair.
This wider rehabilitation category matters for CPOs because patient care increasingly extends beyond a prosthesis or orthosis. Seating, mobility, upper-limb assistance, paediatric positioning, pressure management and digital control systems are all part of the same care ecosystem.
Global Access and Inclusive Rehabilitation
One exhibitor to watch from an IMEA perspective is Shonaquip Social Enterprise, which is presenting an integrated ecosystem approach to assistive technology and inclusive rehabilitation, developed through work in resource-constrained environments across Africa and global partnerships.
This is highly relevant because many IMEA providers are not only looking for high-end technology. They need models that work in public hospitals, NGOs, rural services, humanitarian settings and lower-resource rehabilitation networks. The most useful innovations for the region will be those that are clinically sound, repairable, affordable, trainable and adaptable to local systems.
IMEA CPO Perspective: What to Watch Closely
For IMEA visitors, the most important question at OTWorld 2026 should not be “what is the newest product?” It should be “what can realistically improve care in our setting?”
The strongest areas to watch are:
3D scanning and mobile capture, especially Android-compatible and low-hardware workflows
3D-printed insoles, liners, lasts and orthoses, where digital production can reduce rework
AI-supported design and prescription tools, but only where clinical control remains clear
Neuro-orthotic systems, especially scalable options between simple bracing and high-end microprocessor care
Diabetic foot and orthopaedic footwear workflows, because prevention and offloading are major regional needs
Affordable prosthetic knees and components, especially those designed for reliability and realistic funding models
Clinic software and digital prescription management, because growth depends on operational efficiency
Start-ups, particularly those solving practical access, documentation, scanning or fabrication problems
Inclusive rehabilitation models, especially those designed for resource-constrained environments
Final View
OTWorld 2026 looks set to be less about isolated devices and more about connected systems. Prosthetic hands are becoming smarter. Liners are becoming digitally produced. Orthopaedic footwear is becoming more data-driven. Scanning is moving onto more devices. 3D printing is moving from novelty to workflow. Rehabilitation technology is expanding beyond the clinic into everyday participation.
For CPOs across IMEA, the event should be reviewed through a practical lens. Which technologies can improve patient outcomes? Which can reduce fabrication time? Which can work in hot climates, high-volume services or cost-sensitive settings? Which can be maintained locally? Which are clinically proven, and which are still mainly marketing?
The real winners at OTWorld 2026 will not simply be the companies with the most advanced products. They will be the companies that help clinicians deliver better, faster, more affordable and more repeatable care.