'Exoskeleton' Helps Paralyzed Stand, Take Steps

[Shadow]

Kind of cool. For right now this is just used in a therapy type setting...but eventually these devices can make folks mobile in their home environment.




THURSDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Veteran ski patrol member Mike Rhode was speeding down a snowy slope at Hunter Mountain in New York state when his ski unexpectedly popped off.

Rhode, then a member of the ski patrol for 13 years, wasn't able to regain his balance before hitting a fence. Now, tragically, he is paralyzed from the chest down.

But last October, 10 months after the accident, Rhode was able to walk again with the assistance of Ekso, a robotic "exoskeleton" that he and five other testers "wore" on their body during an initial trial, enabling them to stand up and even take steps.

"I was upright for an hour and 10 minutes and was actually walking for 31 minutes," said Rhode, 46. "It was such a positive feeling."

Ekso is one of just a few robotic "exoskeletons" giving paraplegics and quadraplegics something they may never have dreamed of before: the ability to stand and walk on their own again.

http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/exoskeleton-helps-paralyzed-stand-take-steps

[chloe]

Kind of cool. For right now this is just used in a therapy type setting...but eventually these devices can make folks mobile in their home environment.




THURSDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Veteran ski patrol member Mike Rhode was speeding down a snowy slope at Hunter Mountain in New York state when his ski unexpectedly popped off.

Rhode, then a member of the ski patrol for 13 years, wasn't able to regain his balance before hitting a fence. Now, tragically, he is paralyzed from the chest down.

But last October, 10 months after the accident, Rhode was able to walk again with the assistance of Ekso, a robotic "exoskeleton" that he and five other testers "wore" on their body during an initial trial, enabling them to stand up and even take steps.

"I was upright for an hour and 10 minutes and was actually walking for 31 minutes," said Rhode, 46. "It was such a positive feeling."

Ekso is one of just a few robotic "exoskeletons" giving paraplegics and quadraplegics something they may never have dreamed of before: the ability to stand and walk on their own again.

http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/exoskeleton-helps-paralyzed-stand-take-steps


I bet it is real expensive and not available to very many paraplegics, still great progress :salute:

[Shadow]

I bet it is real expensive and not available to very many paraplegics, still great progress :salute:

Article said the price is around $100,000.00,and that most likely insurance wont cover it either. Hopefully they will find a way down the road to make it easier for parapelgics to access. Sounds like it would be good for both strength and morale.

[chloe]

Article said the price is around $100,000.00,and that most likely insurance wont cover it either. Hopefully they will find a way down the road to make it easier for parapelgics to access. Sounds like it would be good for both strength and morale.

yeah that's how it always is at first something way to expensive to benefit everyone but down the road maybe more readily available.

When I was young I dated a guy who was in a wheel chair he had abrain injury from a car accident they said he would never walk again but he did and he overcame a lot but I remember how frustrating things I took for granted were for him just everyday things.

[fj1200]

yeah that's how it always is at first something way to expensive to benefit everyone but down the road maybe more readily available.

Ain't Capitalism great.

[chloe]

Ain't Capitalism great.
:salute: sure