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Instead of a Wheel Chair, How About an Exoskeleton?

New submitter the_newsbeagle writes "This year, Ekso Bionics will roll out its most sophisticated exoskeleton ever. The company's robotic walking suit, called the Ekso, allows paraplegics to get back on their feet and walk on their own. The first commercial model will be sold to rehab hospitals for on-site physical therapy, but the company plans to have a model ready for at-home physical therapy by the end of 2012. In a few years, they plan to sell an Ekso that a paraplegic person can wear to the post office, to work, etc."

2 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Awesome, but.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I still consider it a transitionary solution, useful, but only until we can grow organs and nerve tissue and basically fix people like we fix machinery :)

    1. Re:Awesome, but.. by timeOday · · Score: 5, Interesting

      98% of the atoms on your body are replaced ever year, whether or not you take a ride in a transporter. So, "you" are not a certain set of particles, but rather a self-propagating pattern.