"Ekso™ is a bionic suit, or exoskeleton, which enables individuals with lower extremity paralysis to stand up and walk over ground with a weight bearing, four point reciprocal gait. Walking is achieved by the user’s forward lateral weight shift to initiate a step. Battery-powered motors drive the legs and replace neuromuscular function."
Another feature of the Ekso is Variable Assist which "facilitates early over ground ambulation for people with lower extremity paralysis or hemiparesis due to neurological disorders such as a stroke or SCI. It helps patients achieve optimal gait patterns and high step dosage by balancing the physical effort they exert with the amount of help they need to achieve a more normalized gait".
In this stunning video Ekso Bionics demonstrate how their exo-skeleton development enables a paralysed man to walk again almost immediately. The implications of this are huge, particularly in the realm of rehabilitation and in the mitigation of medical disorders associated with primarily sedentary lifestyles.
Nathan Harding (CEO, Ekso Bionics) realises the potential for this technology in many applications including helping older people "You're going to see Grandma at the mall and she's going to show off her hip new exo-pants and she's going to take a walk with her grandkids that she couldn't take before, it's not far, that's what's really exciting, it's really not science fiction any more".
0 comments… add one
You must log in to post a comment. Log in now.