On Sept. 12, Ottobock, a German prosthetics company with its North American headquarters located at 11501 Alterra Parkway, Ste., 600, Austin, in The Domain, hosted an unveiling of its newest product, a computerized leg brace that allows people who have been paralyzed to walk.

The brace, called the C-Brace is the second generation of the company's computerized leg brace and features updates such as an app that allows users to adjust resistance and other settings depending on activity.Monica Goulette, a C-Brace user attending the event, , said the ability to step backwards in the new version of the brace has made a more significant impact on her life than many might realize.

"its something that you don't realize you need to do on a daily basis," Goulette said. "To open a door, you step backwards. If you're out [at a restaurant] and a waiter walks by, you step back out of their way."

While Ottobock is based in Germany, the company moved its North American headquarters to Austin three years ago to capitalize on tech talent and an inclusive business environment, said Andreas Schultz, Ottobock Regional President and North America CFO.

"Austin is a very good place for us because of its diversity and its openness to include new businesses in its network," Schultz said.

800-328-4058. www.ottobockus.com