Video: ReWalk exoskeleton helps paraplegics walk

ARGO Medical Technologies' ReWalk has been out a few months now, but it's tough to really appreciate what this thing can do unless you see a patient utilize one on video. Hailed as a "quasi-robotic ambulation system," the wearable device was specifically created to assist those with lower-limb disabilities and give them back upright mobility. In the video waiting in the read link, one particular individual relies on the ReWalk to stand up and move about after being stricken to a wheelchair for 20 years -- no need to take our word for it, though, real live proof is but a click away.

[Via MedGadget]

[j_g_puff @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:06AM]

I'm all up for helping paraplegics walk, but only if I get one too.

[andres @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:19AM]

wow, that looks like an extremely viable product. hell, if my legs didn't work id buy one of those in a heartbeat.

[hiko36 @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:22AM]

Just imagine 10 years from now, once the technology has shrunk and become more affordable, how miraculous this will be to a paraplegic. I hope I become wealthy so I can fund research of this type.

[granny down east @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:22AM]

Good for you. +1

[Ridgecity @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:29AM]

Amazing stuff, if this kind of stuff had budgets like war machines get, we would probably live in the most fantastic world.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:39AM]

If the "funders" of the war machines were part of this project they would direct it towards as robo-cop type of suite which while being totally asome wouldnt't be benificial to the greater good and more than likely would lead to deaths instead of improved lives.

[DorianGrey @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:36AM]

@Ridgecity

Up front, I don't want this string to become combative. I have to state, though, that most modern strides in medicine come from military research and technology dollars. The development of prosthetic and assistive technology in particular has made leaps and bounds in the past 5 years. The research of the past several years has led to discoveries which will come to market as astounding products 5 - 10 years from now. I mean badass stuff like re-growing small limbs and tissues -- with major limbs, organs and nerve tissue to follow 10 years after that.

In an ideal world, these technologies would be funded out of benevolence -- but we all know this is not an ideal world. Again, ideally, the tech would have developed as follow-on technology to the US Space Program -- similar to the advancements made in the 60's - 80's. But that's not the world we live in.

Deserved or undeserved, Pres. Bush gets a bad rap because of the war. Remember, though, his vision in 2001 was for an expanded space program (and hopes for a moonbase by 2015, a trip to Mars by 2020), funding for energy and education system development. That vision was derailed in September of 2001.

I said that to say this: your statement is very evidently true. However, living in the world we live in, it's better to accept the help that we can from where we can. If the collateral effect of war dollars is research and technology that helps people, let's do everything we can with the help we receive. We could live in a country (pick one of many in the Middle East) where war money *only* leads to death.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:44AM]

WOW! That's incredible. I'm actually really impressed by the video. What a great system. I can only imagine how wonderful such things will be with 10-15 more years of development. Robotic prosthetics are going to revolutionize the mobility of handi-capped individuals!

[yode @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:05AM]

WE UP, FEET UP LIKE A, PARAPLEGIA, or Paraplegic, I parallel park, in a red and yellow thang old school atlanta hawk, like i'm from college park, but i'm from hollygrove, now all my bloods say Soowoo and da da doe!

[Marc @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:59AM]

Hey Mr.Carter!

[Nytrojen @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:11AM]

Where's the standard "I for one welcome our ****************** ********* overlords" comment?

[DefPo3t @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:32AM]

do you really think that "I for one welcome our robotic paraplegic overloads" is apropriate here? Look deeper into the article and how this could affect paraplegic people for the better, and get past the preteen 'oMG Ov3r10rds' bull crap

[Colin Potter @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:34AM]

I, for one, welcome our newly mobile paraplegic equals.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:42AM]

Mr Potter.
I aplaud you for your creativity and politically correct forward thinking comment

[Sporkinum @ Jul 22nd 2008 11:22AM]

Go Cyborg!

[DefPo3t @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:25AM]

Apperently you missed out on Atlanta's education system while you were hang'n


*disclaimer* I live in Atlanta

[DefPo3t @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:51AM]

apperently I missed Reply: 101 at school

[Marques @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:30AM]

You also missed the day that people learned how to spell "apparently" in school.

[Sachin @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:46AM]

that's pretty sweet.

[thewin @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:38AM]

I am not trying to offend at all, but is it really safe to be using their legs if they are paralyzed? is circulation and stuff the same when your paralyzed?
What if they step on a nail or something like that, or the straps on the machine start wearing down their skin, they won't know...

[Yuri @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:55PM]

I think this is needed because of circulation.

Just because they can't feel their legs, it doesn't mean that they're not still living. Blood clots I hear aren't as uncommon as a lot of people think, also sores appear.

I don't think this would be a problem with chafing on skin, my friend who has bad cerebral palsy has braces that don't chafe and my hip brace has yet to bother me, no marks, no chafing, sores, nothing. Sometimes it looks like wearing something like that all day would bother you, it really isn't bad as long as it's properly padded and fitted. A brace that isn't the proper size or shape will create issues.

As for stepping on nails, I'm assuming those who wear this machine will always be wearing pants and shoes. At home, for me at least, I tend to take off my brace and kind of stick with my limited mobility. When they're out and about, they're going to be wearing shoes obviously. With the advancement of the technology, the movements will become more fluid, and will have emergency responses to things such as ice and whatnot. We can't 100% protect everyone, but if I were to become paralyzed, I'd get a pair of these in a heartbeat. I already have limited mobility, having that makes me appreciate that I can still walk. Not being able to walk would make me sell my house just for a pair of these.

[Big Al @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:55AM]

Hey, he has an exoskeleton and here I am using my legs like a sucker!

[Vladimir Popov @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:47AM]

Did you mention, that they have skipped the part where he supposed to get of the car? It is a good first step, but not a solution. If your legs do not work, how do you move the gadget, I have read the article but not convinced. Advertisement it is.

[drbob @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:15AM]

Give it a few years. Once they tie it in with neural interface research I expect we'll see paraplegics walking almost normally with robotic assistance. This is the kind of tech that makes me feel like I'm living in the future.

See:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/26/researchers-show-off-robot-hand-neural-interface/

[Michael @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:04AM]

That's pretty damn nifty. One question though: How the hell did he drive the car? He can't use his feet... how did he press the gas and break? Did the suit do that for him? Doubtful. My guess is that the car was modified to be controlled via hands, but I could not tell.

[jupiterthunder @ Jul 22nd 2008 2:55PM]

Parapalegics have been driving cars for a long time now. There are alternate ways to accelerate and brake. It doesn't have to be a pedal system.

[Danakin @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:43AM]

once they get bionic implants, like from Back To The Future 2, call me

seriously...call me, 314-484-6252

[Steven @ Jul 25th 2008 12:54PM]

Give me a ring as well when this happens:

860-867-5309. Ask for Jenny.

[chris @ Jul 22nd 2008 11:26AM]

some one lives in alabama?

[iptydafu @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:45AM]

yeah, but what if your friends think you're too shy and hack it to make you go on the dancefloor?

[Cedrock @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:05PM]

neat but with all the improving technology out (ipods getting smaller and small, computers improving at a rapid rate, cell phones, etc) this is the best they can do for paraplegics?? I mean they have people running with those fake legs for years and now they have this crap that looks like it was made in the 80s? Its nice that its out and all but we can do better than this, if only we had the right priorities. Its sad that there will be more money, time and resources making the next game systems than improving this. But, I am a gamer....j/k

This is neat but I'm not too impressed for what we are capable of making.

[ckmandela @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:59AM]

I'm all for helping paraplegics walk. I think this is great, however, my only concern is that this man hadn't walked for 20 years and no one was surprised to see him walk for the first time. People suck.

[jupiterthunder @ Jul 22nd 2008 3:04PM]

Isn't it reasonable to think that he'd trained with these and the people had seen him using them several times before. And, being that it's assistive technology, they probably are conscious of not having their actors/extras react any differently than they'd react to you and I doing the same activities.

[inteller @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:03PM]

bring on the power armor! we need the handicapped up and walking so they can replenish the stocks in Afghanistan!

[Ladderless @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:06PM]

Great idea. I'd think that a second set of controls in the handles of the crutches would make it easier to adjust.

And to Michael- Parapalegics drive cars all the time - That's nothing new. Hand conrols are common. The nice thing is that the car would require FAR less modification than for someone using a wheelchair.

[DJRome @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:23PM]

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/03/crutches/index_01.htm

When I say old, I mean I saw this like 2 years ago. Up to the date. :)