PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Elena García Armada

Also known as Elena Garcia Armada

Elena García Armada is a Spanish researcher who moved from legged robots to pediatric exoskeletons. She was born in Valladolid in 1971 and completed a doctorate in 2002 at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. After meeting a six-year-old girl in 2009, she resolved to build pediatric robotic exoskeletons, and she co-founded Marsi Bionics in 2013. In 2022 the European Patent Office gave her the Popular Prize at the European Inventor Award, and she joined the Real Academia de Ingeniería. She is a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council and chief executive of Marsi Bionics.

Now at
Marsi Bionics and Spanish National Research Council
Works
17
Citations
55
h-index
4

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1971–2002

    A doctorate on legged robots

    Born in Valladolid in 1971, she completes a doctorate at the Polytechnic University of Madrid in 2002, with a thesis on legged robots.

  2. 2009

    A pediatric exoskeleton project

    In 2009 she meets Daniela, a six-year-old girl who had become tetraplegic after a traffic accident. She then resolves to engineer pediatric robotic exoskeletons.

  3. 2013

    Co-founding Marsi Bionics

    She co-founds Marsi Bionics in 2013 as a spin-off of CAR, the Center for Automation and Robotics.

  4. 2020

    On Robohub's 2020 list

    Robohub's 2020 list of women in robotics describes her as a tenured researcher at the Spanish National Research Council and co-founder of Marsi Bionics.

  5. 2022

    The European Inventor Award Popular Prize

    At the European Inventor Award 2022, the European Patent Office gives her the Popular Prize, which a public vote determines.

  6. 2022

    Admitted to the Real Academia de Ingeniería

    In 2022 she becomes the fifth woman admitted to the Real Academia de Ingeniería.

  7. February 2023–March 2023

    Honorary doctorate and national prize

    In February 2023 the Miguel de Cervantes European University in Valladolid names her doctor honoris causa. In March 2023 she receives the Reina Letizia national disability prize for research and innovation.

  8. As of October 2026

    Research at CSIC and Marsi Bionics

    She is a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). She is also founder and chief executive of Marsi Bionics.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Elena García Armada yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Elena García Armada - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. 30 women in robotics you need to know about – 2020 - Robohub robohub.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. European Patent Office announces winners of the European Inventor Award 2022 and Young Inventors prize epo.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. La ingeniera premiada por la Reina Letizia que ha inventado el primer exoesqueleto pediátrico del mundo eldebate.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. La experta internacional en robótica Elena García Armada, Doctora Honoris Causa por la UEMC uemc.es. Checked 15 October 2026.