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Paralyzed Man Walks Again Using Exoskeleton

Posted by kdawson on from the somewhere-there-is-a-crime-happening dept.

dominique_cimafranca notes a story up at the Daily Mail in the UK about a partially paralyzed man who is able to walk again using an exoskeleton frame. The article goes a bit far in comparing the device to Robocop, but it does show pictures of the man, paralyzed for the last 20 years, regaining some use of his legs. Quoting: "The device, called ReWalk, is the brainchild of engineer Amit Goffer, founder of Argo Medical Technologies, a small Israeli high-tech company. Something of a mix between the exoskeleton of a crustacean and the suit worn by Robocop, ReWalk helps paraplegics — people paralyzed below the waist — to stand, walk and climb stairs. The system, which requires crutches to help with balance, consists of motorized leg supports, body sensors and a back pack containing a computerized control box and rechargeable batteries."

25 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. omg Robocop by to_throw_shapes · · Score: 5, Funny

    WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY

    1. Re:omg Robocop by syrinx · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'd buy that for a dollar!

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      Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
    2. Re:omg Robocop by superdave80 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think it would be closer to six million dollars, man.

    3. Re:omg Robocop by ParanoidJanitor · · Score: 4, Informative

      Probably even closer to M.A.N.T.I.S

  2. Next, Effort to Duplicate the EYE. by curmudgeon99 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What a fantastic device. I would note that the success of cochlear implants is attributable to the ability of the brain to recognise and interpret any pattern stream. That's why the next device they are working on is the eye. They will not attempt to recreate all the hardware in the eye. Instead, they will look to supply a pattern stream [cue Jeff Hawkins of "On Intelligence" fame] to the brain.

    1. Re:Next, Effort to Duplicate the EYE. by Xtravar · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think they should work on batteries first. The day they figure out how to safely power personal electronics via the bloodstream is the day we solve obesity.

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      Buckle your ROFL belt, we're in for some LOLs.
    2. Re:Next, Effort to Duplicate the EYE. by Esteanil · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well, they've got something like 64 pixels for an artificial retina already, and several research projects are underway to improve this.

      Here is a good list of articles about the University of Southern California Doheny Eye Institute's retinal implants.
      There are also projects based on external cameras, new cameras being developed for artificial retina use, and so on.

      Now imagine WoW with 20 years of hardware and software progress, as well as a direct neural interface ;-)

      --
      I'm a dreamer, the world is my playpen. But hey, I'm a serious person, I can't dream all the time.
    3. Re:Next, Effort to Duplicate the EYE. by Pedrito · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I would note that the success of cochlear implants is attributable to the ability of the brain to recognise and interpret any pattern stream.

      Actually, this is a bit misleading. Cochlear implants break the sound up into different frequencies using a fast fourier transform, and sending signals based on the various frequencies to the appropriate nerves. While the cochlea doesn't do math, obviously, the hairs of the cochlea perform more or less the same function with different hairs resonating at different frequencies and depending on which hairs resonate, the appropriate nerves are stimulated.

      So really, a cochlear implant performs virtually the same function as the cochlea sending pretty much the same patterns to the brain.

      I agree that the brain is very flexible, but if a cochlear implant didn't provide virtually the same signal that the cohclea does, the people using them would have to learn to recognize speech and other sounds from scratch, which isn't the case. This is why people who have lost their hearing for only a short period of time tend to find them more useful than people who have been deaf for life.

      The brain is quite adaptive, but to say it can "recognize and interpret any pattern stream" is a great exaggeration. Additionally, most of the brains adaptability comes at an early age. By the early 20s after most of the synaptic pruning has happened (young children have roughly 10 times as many synapses as adults), the ability of the brain to learn new things, particularly the generalized pattern recognition type abilities, becomes greatly diminished.

    4. Re:Next, Effort to Duplicate the EYE. by curmudgeon99 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      So obviously you haven't heard of the experiment where they created a device with a grid pattern of dull pins. The pins formed a grid pattern that was placed on the tongue. When the pins were raised in the manner of a object that was seen by a video device, the wearer could learn to interpret the pattern of raised pins just as if they had seen the pattern coming in from the eye. In the experiement, wearers could learn to see obstacles and avoid them in walking and also to "see" things like a drinking glass and reach out and grab it. So, I stand by my statement. We have yet to reach the limit of the various patterns a brain can interpret.

  3. Neat, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does it run Linux?

    1. Re:Neat, but... by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 4, Funny

      Does it run?

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      This guy's the limit!
    2. Re:Neat, but... by CaptainPatent · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes it runs...

      And my name isn't Linux.

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      Well, back to rejecting software patent applications.
    3. Re:Neat, but... by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 5, Funny

      Does it run Linux?

      Considering that he didn't have to type furiously at each step, I imagine not.

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      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    4. Re:Neat, but... by hvm2hvm · · Score: 4, Funny

      Forest then?

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      ics
  4. In popular culture: by Zygfryd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In the TV series Dark Angel the paraplegic character Logan is able to walk using a leg exoskeleton.

    It's nice seeing how science catches up to science fiction.

  5. Yeah, but by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

    can he do the robot?

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    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  6. Re:Stairs? by sakdoctor · · Score: 4, Funny

    People said that about the Daleks too.

  7. Re:Stairs? by geekoid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You mean compared to being in a wheel chair?

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    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  8. Re:Stairs? by MoonBuggy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm sure it's more graceful and dignified than trying to roll a wheelchair up them.

    Seriously, even if it can't yet go up stairs elegantly (and you don't know if that's the case), it's giving some serious advantages, not least of which is a sense of normalcy, without any drawbacks over a wheelchair - I don't really see the basis of your criticism.

  9. Relief for my hand ahead!!! by Tatisimo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I dream of the day I can cut off this buggy tired right arm of mine and replace it with a bionic one. So long, RSI! Hell, even throw in a USB cable for easier input and flash storage. Then I shall return to EMACS!!!!

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    Give Kashyyyk back to the Wookies
    1. Re:Relief for my hand ahead!!! by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 5, Funny

      What would happen to you if you flew into the US and the customs agents wanted to confiscate your cybernetic limb to analyze as they can do now with your laptops and other electronic devices? What recourse would you have to prevent such thing?

      Crush their skulls?

      You can have my cold dead hands when you pry them from my cybernetic body!

      --
      Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  10. Just the beginning by mlwmohawk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is excellent, in 20 years paraplegics should be able to walk just like people with two functional legs.

    I can't believe it will remain as bulky or clumsy. An $20K is nothing compared to what it provides.

  11. Have you seen this chicken? by CorporateSuit · · Score: 5, Funny

    They're the wrong trousers Gromit!

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    I am the richest astronaut ever to win the superbowl.
  12. Why motors and batteries? by Solandri · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The man is paralyzed, not an amputee. His legs and muscles are perfectly functional, they just lack control. Instead of powering motors with batteries, the computer should be using his leg muscles as actuators.

  13. Link to vid (w/ stairs) by religious+freak · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Stairs are around 2:15, but the whole vid is interesting. Looks like movements like sitting and climbing stairs are input by the user by hand. I'd imagine the stairs probably have to be at a predefined slope.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQRQs-N-ZIM

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