http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/ Engadget Comments for Video: ReWalk exoskeleton helps paraplegics walk http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 4:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 4:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 4:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 10:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 4:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 5:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/
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.]]>Jul 22nd 2008 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 4:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 5:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 6:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 5:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 5:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 5:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/I aplaud you for your creativity and politically correct forward thinking comment]]>Jul 22nd 2008 5:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 11:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/

*disclaimer* I live in Atlanta]]>Jul 22nd 2008 5:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 5:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 8:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 5:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/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...]]>Jul 22nd 2008 7:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/
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.]]>Jul 22nd 2008 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 6:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 7:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/
See:

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

]]>Jul 22nd 2008 8:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 8:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 2:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/
seriously...call me, 314-484-6252]]>Jul 22nd 2008 8:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/
860-867-5309. Ask for Jenny.]]>Jul 25th 2008 12:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 11:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 8:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/
This is neat but I'm not too impressed for what we are capable of making.]]>Jul 22nd 2008 10:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 9:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 3:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/Jul 22nd 2008 12:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/
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.]]>Jul 22nd 2008 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/video-rewalk-exoskeleton-helps-paraplegics-walk/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. :)]]>Jul 22nd 2008 12:23PM