Independent Eating Device
Effective Food Capture
Accessibility Switch Control
Effective Food Capture
Accessibility Switch Control
*Available to qualifying U.S. Veterans through their VA Benefits*
What you need to know
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Obi is a robotic feeding device that allows people with limited hand and arm strength and mobility to continue feeding themselves. Obi can be controlled by any part of the body (hand, head, foot, breath, etc.) that can activate an accessibility switch. Because it is light, compact, and battery-powered, you can eat at home or dine out with Obi.
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Benefits for people living with ALS include:
Obi also gives caregivers a break during mealtimes.
- Greater independence
- Increased likelihood of maintaining/gaining weight
- Less energy expended while eating
- More social, relaxing, and enjoyable mealtimes
Obi also gives caregivers a break during mealtimes.
Obi for Veterans
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Obi is proud to provide independent eating to hundreds of U.S. Veterans. Obi is on the Federal Supply Schedule and is available to qualifying Veterans at no cost through their VA benefits. Contact Obi if you are a Veteran who is interested in trying Obi!
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How It Works
Obi is easy to use. There is no training required. Simple controls allow you to choose what you want to eat, when you want to eat it.
Obi can scoop up and deliver most any food, from soup to cereal to food cut into bite-size pieces. After presetting the exact delivery location of the spoon to your mouth, you just touch a customizable switch to select a food compartment and order a spoonful. When done, the removable spoon, tray, and placemat can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher.
Obi is a robot with personality and intuitive features to delight the user. When you first turn Obi on, it will bow to you. Before delivering each bite, it wipes off the spoon to minimize spilling. And after 90 seconds of nonuse, Obi lowers down and goes to sleep until it receives the next command.
Obi can scoop up and deliver most any food, from soup to cereal to food cut into bite-size pieces. After presetting the exact delivery location of the spoon to your mouth, you just touch a customizable switch to select a food compartment and order a spoonful. When done, the removable spoon, tray, and placemat can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher.
Obi is a robot with personality and intuitive features to delight the user. When you first turn Obi on, it will bow to you. Before delivering each bite, it wipes off the spoon to minimize spilling. And after 90 seconds of nonuse, Obi lowers down and goes to sleep until it receives the next command.
Dimensions: 12” x 17” x 6” (when folded)
Weight: 7.7 lbs
Includes: Plate, placemat, two magnetic spoons (one large and one small), two pressure switches, charging cable, one-year limited warranty
Weight: 7.7 lbs
Includes: Plate, placemat, two magnetic spoons (one large and one small), two pressure switches, charging cable, one-year limited warranty
"Obi has given me back the ability to feed myself and has helped me gain back ten pounds. This is the first time I've ever gained something since my diagnosis.”
– David H, Person living with ALS
"I'm a US Navy veteran with ALS and recently received my Obi. I can't even begin to describe how happy I am! Before Obi, eating was a horrible struggle as my shoulders and hands were failing. My alternative was to interrupt the dining experience of my friends or family members so they could feed me. As a result of eating with Obi's assistance, I've been able to maintain my weight and of equal importance to me, I'm able to eat independently and enjoy dining with my family.”
– Shelly H, Veteran living with ALS
"With the Obi you choose what and when to eat. It cuts out the hurrying that inevitably comes with a person-feeding-person situation. Without the rushing, the danger of food aspiration goes down. Finally, it lets the user savor food and flavor again. This small company really gets the importance of the service they provide. To grant someone leisure time during a meal, whether it's for the user or the caregiver, it is truly a sweet gift for your lifestyle. (The same goes for allowing one to enjoy social meals again, freeing up the user or a caregiver to talk.) A meal becomes something to look forward to again, instead of a box to be checked and get past.”
– John M, Person living ALS
– David H, Person living with ALS
"I'm a US Navy veteran with ALS and recently received my Obi. I can't even begin to describe how happy I am! Before Obi, eating was a horrible struggle as my shoulders and hands were failing. My alternative was to interrupt the dining experience of my friends or family members so they could feed me. As a result of eating with Obi's assistance, I've been able to maintain my weight and of equal importance to me, I'm able to eat independently and enjoy dining with my family.”
– Shelly H, Veteran living with ALS
"With the Obi you choose what and when to eat. It cuts out the hurrying that inevitably comes with a person-feeding-person situation. Without the rushing, the danger of food aspiration goes down. Finally, it lets the user savor food and flavor again. This small company really gets the importance of the service they provide. To grant someone leisure time during a meal, whether it's for the user or the caregiver, it is truly a sweet gift for your lifestyle. (The same goes for allowing one to enjoy social meals again, freeing up the user or a caregiver to talk.) A meal becomes something to look forward to again, instead of a box to be checked and get past.”
– John M, Person living ALS
How To Get An Obi Eating Device
U.S. Veterans: If you are a military veteran living with ALS who qualifies for service connected benefits, you should be able to get an Obi device at no cost through your VA benefits. Contact Obi Robot to learn more about Obi for veterans.
Non-Veterans: There is a small possibility you may be able to receive reimbursement through private insurance or Medicaid. If not, the Obi team offers assistance with connecting you to resources like advocacy groups, technology programs, foundations that may be able to offer financial assistance, and equipment loan closets that may be able to loan you an Obi device. You also have the option of paying out of pocket for an Obi.
You can contact the Obi team to ask questions and learn more by calling 1-844-435-7624, emailing [email protected], or filling out the online contact form.
Non-Veterans: There is a small possibility you may be able to receive reimbursement through private insurance or Medicaid. If not, the Obi team offers assistance with connecting you to resources like advocacy groups, technology programs, foundations that may be able to offer financial assistance, and equipment loan closets that may be able to loan you an Obi device. You also have the option of paying out of pocket for an Obi.
You can contact the Obi team to ask questions and learn more by calling 1-844-435-7624, emailing [email protected], or filling out the online contact form.
The Story Behind Obi
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When Jon Dekar was a teenager, he saw the frustration that his grandfather, a Navy veteran who had lost the use of his arms, experienced during mealtimes when others had to feed him. When Jon was an engineering student in college, he developed a prototype for an assistive feeding device. Over the next ten years, Jon worked on his invention until the first Obi was ready to go to market in 2016. Three years later, the second-generation Obi was released.Today, more than 2,300 people around the world use Obi for greater independence, social interaction, and joy during mealtimes.
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Visit our ALS Nutrition page to learn why it is important to maintain your weight.
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