eLEGS Exoskeleton Allows Paraplegics To Walk 56
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."
Allow me (Score:3, Funny)
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(Sorry for the shameless plug; I couldn't resist)
Was that a drive by... (Score:3, Funny)
Dr. Miles Hawkins sues for prior art (Score:5, Funny)
How long until some gimpy vigilante begins using one?
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And gets his butt sued off in turn. [imdb.com]
Today (Score:1, Insightful)
A little step for a man, a big step for the mankind.
Last thing overheard... (Score:2)
in a slow-but-steady gait similar to that of full-time crutch-users
Er, what's this red button FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooor???
Re:WTF (Score:5, Funny)
"where* do real nerds hang out these days?"
They hang out on /b/. Trust me on this.
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what's /b/? (gibberish for the comment body)
Yes.
This, (Score:5, Insightful)
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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.
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See, I want a powered exoskeleton now, before I'm old and feeble ... so I can do whatever I damn well please.
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There are a couple of women who work in my building that use double crutches. I wonder of this device would let them walk without the crutches, if a paraplegic can use it with?
Are you saying it's from the future? (Score:2)
These robotic legs will be a benefit to everyone disabled in society...until they become self-aware
Re:Are you saying it's from the future? (Score:5, Funny)
once the disabled become self aware, we are all toast.
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I always said that if (when?) I end up paralyzed I would make a robot walker instead of using a chair. I imagined it with 4 or more legs (probably 8) and able to go up stairs.
Yeah, I know, power.
eLEGs for the masses (Score:5, Funny)
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Steve Jobs told them that if they called it the iLegs that he'd have their legs broken, and that no, he wasn't talking about the robotic ones either.
Of course if Apple did come out with the iLegs I wonder how long it would be before an Apple engineer lost a prototype in a bar and it ended up on Gizmodo? Of course if he did he could just say "I didn't lose the prototype in a bar, it walked off by itself." I also wonder if a set of Apple iLegs would have a "find my iLegs feature" that would allow you to go
Modern Names (Score:1)
Seriously, where is creativity when come up with these names. I myself work for a "iSomething" company..
it scares me to thing about our iFuture!
Oh, now back on topic, the product? awesome!
Tell me I'm not the only one (Score:5, Funny)
Did anyone else miscue the title as "eLEGO exoskeleton?"
Awesome unlock for Hawking, dude. LEGO Physicist is the funnest game ever!
What about coverage for such devices? (Score:5, Informative)
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.
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"Clinical trials are scheduled for early 2011, with a limited release in select American rehabilitation clinics within the second half of that year. Training will be provided for therapists, and patients will be able to apply to take part in the eLEGS gait training program. Farther down the road, Berkeley would like to see the product available for home users, so they could put it on in the morning and use it all day."
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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
That doesn'
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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 testin
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That is a problem, but it seems that the word "medical" causes the cost to raise to ridiculous levels. I would routinely buy velcro for keeping wheelchair cushions from sliding from a wholesale craft site. The exact same product cost 5x as much from the medical catalogs at the facility where I was the head nurse. We managed to velcro everyone's wheelchair cushions (facility of about 43, most in wheelchairs) for the same cost as one.
I agree liability is
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Ooh Lookout Gromit (Score:5, Funny)
It's the WRONG TROUSERS!
This is the future (Score:1, Funny)
Am I the only one who got the image of Stephen Hawking sitting inside the frame of a giant futuristic battle robot, blasting turbolasers at everyone when I read the headline?
video (Score:3, Informative)
LEGO Exoskeleton? (Score:2)
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Who will be able to use these (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Who will be able to use these (Score:5, Informative)
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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 :)
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don't tell me it's bender from the future who's got a human exo skin to loo human :)
Simulation of bowl movements is not necessary to hide within a human culture, in almost all cases these bodily functions are performed discreetly.
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Simulation of bowl movements
Someone stole your 'e'
Oh, there it is in the headline hiding in front of LEGS. Grab it before it runs off.
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These guy's have built a pair that don't need crutches to support them [tvnz.co.nz], they look a little bulkier, but more stable.
Re:Who will be able to use these (Score:5, Interesting)
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
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It would really freak people out, cause I'm 6" but they're used to looking down at me.
Being looked down upon sort of comes with the territory of being 6 inches tall.
Sorry, I had to :P
VIDEO! (Score:1)
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or it didn't happen!
Here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_k30yeCk4c
Oh, wait... That's a Japanese version that has been available for a couple of years now. It also can help disabled people. Unfortunately, unlike the Berkley version it doesn't use crutches. Oh well, maybe they'll figure that out in another couple of years.
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Those looked like able-bodied people walking in them.
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Another benefit... (Score:2, Funny)
Science: (Score:2)
It WORKS!
Yoshiuki Sankai of Japan is way ahead of this (Score:2)