Powered exoskeletons/robotic trousers.
Discussion
In recent years exoskeletons have been developed by the US Army to enable a soldier to carry heavy objects while running or climbing stairs.
However, it has also been developed for medical use for stroke or Spinal cord injury patients which is where my interest in this kind of technology comes from.
As someone who is partially paralysed I recently had the opportunity to try out one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5bgZ1mO97M
A similar model was featured on Ch4 news a while back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC6habKtL74
For someone who already uses crutches or a walker to move short distances there are few benefits to this as I can already get onto my feet however I know several paraplegics, with complete loss of function below their waist, as well as some quadriplegics who have used this to 'walk' for the first time in years.
There are however lots of practical problems with a unit like this which makes it,other than for therapeutic use, kind of pointless at the moment. For example:
1. Cost - these units currently cost over $100k.
2. Battery life - it doesn't last very long.
3. Size and Weight - it's quite bulky and weighs about 35 kilos.
4. It's really really slow - a wheelchair is much faster.
5. It doesn't balance itself so you still have to use crutches.
4. You couldn't pick things up from the floor or use it whilst sitting on the loo for example.
So I wonder how this technology will eventually evolve. Do you think we'll ever have an affordable and practical suit for a paralysed person to wear and go about their daily life with?
However, it has also been developed for medical use for stroke or Spinal cord injury patients which is where my interest in this kind of technology comes from.
As someone who is partially paralysed I recently had the opportunity to try out one of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5bgZ1mO97M
A similar model was featured on Ch4 news a while back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC6habKtL74
For someone who already uses crutches or a walker to move short distances there are few benefits to this as I can already get onto my feet however I know several paraplegics, with complete loss of function below their waist, as well as some quadriplegics who have used this to 'walk' for the first time in years.
There are however lots of practical problems with a unit like this which makes it,other than for therapeutic use, kind of pointless at the moment. For example:
1. Cost - these units currently cost over $100k.
2. Battery life - it doesn't last very long.
3. Size and Weight - it's quite bulky and weighs about 35 kilos.
4. It's really really slow - a wheelchair is much faster.
5. It doesn't balance itself so you still have to use crutches.
4. You couldn't pick things up from the floor or use it whilst sitting on the loo for example.
So I wonder how this technology will eventually evolve. Do you think we'll ever have an affordable and practical suit for a paralysed person to wear and go about their daily life with?
Edited by Victor McDade on Saturday 4th January 19:38
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