Obi GEN3 is a robotic feeding device that restores the ability to eat what you want, when you want, at your own pace.

For clients living with upper extremity limitations, feeding dependence removes all three. A caregiver chooses the sequence, controls the timing, and manages the pace. For many clients, this is one of the more frustrating aspects of their condition, not because caregivers do it badly, but because the control itself is gone.

Across the conditions Obi GEN3 is indicated for, the loss of independent feeding ability is a consistent and significant quality-of-life concern. Obi GEN3 gives it back.

How the device returns control to the client

Clients select from 4 food compartments and command when food is captured and delivered to their mouth. The switch can be activated by any part of the body. The pace of the meal is entirely client-directed. Nothing happens until the client initiates it.

Teach mode allows the delivery path to be calibrated to each client's exact position, so food arrives accurately every time. Patient Power-On, a GEN3 feature, lets clients who don't need caregiver supervision power the device on themselves using a switch. They can begin a meal independently, without any caregiver input.

Obi GEN3 is designed around a simple operating principle: the user is in control.

Nutrition and meal engagement

When clients control their own meal pace and food selection, they tend to eat more and engage more actively with mealtimes. Obi GEN3 is indicated to increase independence, social interaction, meal enjoyment, and wellbeing.

The 4-compartment plate means clients can have variety within a single meal. Almost any food can be used, provided it's prepared correctly. Solid foods should be cut to between the size of a pea and a grape. Sticky foods work with minor preparation adjustments. Liquid foods such as soup, stew, cereal, and pudding all work well.

For clients living with conditions associated with weight loss or nutritional challenges, the ability to eat at their own pace and engage fully with a meal is clinically relevant. We see a possible increase in caloric intake when clients are in control of what and how much they eat.

Social participation at mealtimes

Obi GEN3 sits on a standard dinner table or wheelchair tray and takes up no more space than a placemat. It runs for 3 to 4 hours per charge and packs away for travel, school, restaurants, or community settings.

A client using Obi GEN3 can eat alongside their family, friends, or classmates without a caregiver feeding them. They eat at the same time as everyone else, at the same table, without close caregiver contact throughout the meal. The difference in how clients experience that is significant and consistently reported.

For paediatric clients, Obi GEN3 allows children to be fully integrated in the social and emotional aspects of mealtime, at home and at school.

Reward mode and paediatric feeding

Obi GEN3 includes Reward Mode, developed with paediatric users in mind. When a client completes a bite, the device lights up and runs a 30-second celebratory motion before resetting for the next one. It reinforces positive feeding behaviours and turns a successful bite into a small event, which shifts the dynamic for children who find eating stressful or who have developed avoidance.

Energy conservation

Positioning for caregiver access, managing a pace that doesn't align with the client's natural rhythm, and the cognitive load of depending on someone else for each bite all carry a cost. When a client controls their own pace with Obi GEN3, they can rest between bites and manage the duration of a meal without that cost. We see this as conserving energy for other activities, which is a useful clinical rationale for clients with limited energy reserves.

Safety features

Obi GEN3 includes collision detection, which stops and retracts the arm if misused. In-bowl backup means that if the arm encounters an obstruction from large or hard food particles, it backs up along its path and waits for the client to command a re-scoop. Both features reduce the risk of unexpected device movement and give clinicians confidence the device responds predictably in real-world use.

The device is also water resistant and can be wiped down or disinfected after a meal, which is relevant for clients in care settings where infection control is a consideration.

When to consider a trial

Obi GEN3 is indicated for clients who can safely and successfully operate the device and who can chew and swallow without assistance. This could include:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Amputation
• Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
• Brain injury
• Cerebral palsy
• Essential tremor
• Muscular dystrophy
• Multiple sclerosis
• Rett syndrome
• Parkinson's disease
• Spinal cord injury
• Spinal muscular atrophy
• Other conditions affecting upper extremity function

The Obi independent feeding device lets the client decide what they eat, when each bite arrives, and how long they take. They're not waiting for someone else. They're not managing the pace of a meal on someone else's terms. 

We can help clinicians assess who can benefit, support a trial, and document the outcomes clearly enough to make funding possible. Please get in touch with our team to start that process.