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eLEGS Exoskeleton Allows Paraplegics To Walk

Posted by Soulskill on from the step-by-step dept.

Zothecula writes "At a press conference held recently in San Francisco, California's Berkeley Bionics unveiled its eLEGS exoskeleton. The computer-controlled device is designed to be worn by paraplegics, providing the power and support to get them out of their wheelchairs, into a standing posture, and walking – albeit with the aid of crutches. The two formerly wheelchair-bound 'test pilots' in attendance did indeed use eLEGS to walk across the stage, in a slow-but-steady gait similar to that of full-time crutch-users."

22 of 56 comments (clear)

  1. Allow me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Allow me to be the first to welcome our previously wheelchair bound overlords

    1. Re:Allow me by Kepesk · · Score: 2, Funny

      Now if there were only an exoskeleton for my brother's butt...

      (Sorry for the shameless plug; I couldn't resist)

      --
      Help me fix my brother's injured butt!
  2. Dr. Miles Hawkins sues for prior art by JesseL · · Score: 4, Funny

    How long until some gimpy vigilante begins using one?

    --
    "Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"
  3. This, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    this is the future that I am excited about. Sure as hell beats twitter.

    1. Re:This, by mdm-adph · · Score: 2, Funny

      But you see, that's the thing -- we get this AND twitter in the "new future." Now, not only will paraplegics walk, but their legs can automatically tweet where they're going.

      --
      It is by my will alone my thoughts acquire motion; it is by the juice of the coffee bean that the thoughts acquire speed
    2. Re:This, by gstoddart · · Score: 2, Funny

      Same here! I've long said that when I'm old and feeble, I plan to have a powered exoskeleton that will keep me active and let me do whatever I damn well please.

      See, I want a powered exoskeleton now, before I'm old and feeble ... so I can do whatever I damn well please.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  4. Re:Are you saying it's from the future? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    once the disabled become self aware, we are all toast.

  5. eLEGs for the masses by captain_dope_pants · · Score: 5, Funny

    But the cool arty types will get iLEGs

    --
    while (true != false) process_more_stupid_code();
  6. Tell me I'm not the only one by GMFTatsujin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Did anyone else miscue the title as "eLEGO exoskeleton?"

    Awesome unlock for Hawking, dude. LEGO Physicist is the funnest game ever!

  7. What about coverage for such devices? by ethicalcannibal · · Score: 5, Informative

    Have they addressed how accessible they plan these elegs to be? After a decade of fighting for basic prosthetics for patients, as a nurse, I have this horrible cynical vision. I worry that the insurance companies will call it all experimental, like the higher end prosthetics, and refuse to cover it at all, and slapping the word "medical" on the device will raise the price out of reach, even when the technology is more mass produced, and cheaper. Leading to it being totally out of reach financially for a lot of folks that would need it.

    I've had that argument about wheelchairs, walkers, you name it. Hell, I even had to argue that dialysis was NOT an elective treatment to the phone zombie. Although, to the insurance companies credit, despite cutting off coverage for dialysis, I had it fixed in an hour+ when I finally clawed my way to a supervisor.

    I'm talking about US healthcare practices. I don't have any experience with anywhere else.

    1. Re:What about coverage for such devices? by Liquidrage · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Right but as the GP mentioned, just because something is easily available doesn't mean it's easily affordable. And that isn't because it shouldn't be affordable, it's because there are factors that make it such.
      I work with a below the knee amputee and his prosthetic is one notch above a peg leg. And he has rather decent insurance.
      So I could see this being a great device we should try and make available for anyone that would need it, but will end up getting to like .01% of those that need it.
      That doesn't mean I'm saying this is a horrible project, but the external factors after production will likely make this live changing device out of reach for many.

    2. Re:What about coverage for such devices? by BigSlowTarget · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Hah. I own a robotics company. I could probably build these pretty cheaply. What I couldn't do is afford the mandatory testing, liability insurance, permitting, advertising, special individual requirements, mandatory fitting costs, medical consultants, legislative lobbying to make them excluded from traffic laws, environmental impact studies related to the disposal of batteries, payments to financiers to arrange for financing for the twelve month wait between manufacure and actually being paid, FCC testing to make sure they don't interfere with wifi, etc. etc. etc.

      I might make something like this for my own entertainment and/or family use and other people have already. If the US actually wanted cost effective medical technology we would pay less attention to tax incentives and more to removing the barriers that prevent innovators from introducing new products that could actually make profits to tax. I'm not saying remove all the environmental and liability laws, I'm just saying make it possible for small companies to deal with them without a staff of a dozen lawyers. That's not going to happen so people get to suffer instead.

      Sorry about that. If I help you I'll get sued so you don't get help.

    3. Re:What about coverage for such devices? by wumpyness · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I share the cynicism. The iBot stopped production for that very reason - insurers wouldn't cover enough of the cost.

  8. Ooh Lookout Gromit by thewils · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's the WRONG TROUSERS!

    --
    Once I was a four stone apology. Now I am two separate gorillas.
  9. video by lijkert · · Score: 3, Informative

    here's a video of people walking with it, posted today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcM0ruq28dc

  10. Was that a drive by... by WED+Fan · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...butt plug?

    --
    Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong fix.
  11. Re:WTF by couchslug · · Score: 4, Funny

    "where* do real nerds hang out these days?"

    They hang out on /b/. Trust me on this.

    --
    "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
  12. Who will be able to use these by systemsplanet · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I've been in a wheelchair for 20+ years, from a spinal injury when I was 20. I wonder if only newly injured people will benefit from this technology. My bones are probably too brittle to support me even with an exoskeleton. Probably will need years of bone therapy before I could use this. But I'd certainly be willing to try, just so I could look down at people again. It would really freak people out, cause I'm 6" but they're used to looking down at me. Wonder if they'll have some dance and ass-kickin modes too.

    1. Re:Who will be able to use these by Grygus · · Score: 5, Informative

      In the video on the site, they show a woman who's been paralyzed nearly as long as you using the device.

    2. Re:Who will be able to use these by youn · · Score: 2, Funny

      Thanks for the link. I find it ironic the CEO of a robotics company is called Bender :)... don't tell me it's bender from the future who's got a human exo skin to loo human :)

      --
      Never antropomorphize computers, they do not like that :p
    3. Re:Who will be able to use these by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Wonder if they'll have some dance and ass-kickin modes too.

      On behalf of every quad I've ever known ... that's the funniest thing I've seen all week.

      I've known some guys who would have been happy to have the high-school shuffle back. :-P

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  13. Another benefit... by RAM_Doubler · · Score: 2, Funny

    Use of the suit permits endless use of the phrase, "Get away from her, you bitch!"