Tag Archives: ReWalk

The first Cybathlon pushed the limits of bionic technology

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Andre van Rüschen slowly climbed a five-step ramp at the end of his race. With a black processor strapped to his back and leg supports on either side of his lower limbs, he stayed focused on the body-machine coordination that was keeping him upr...

Pushing the limits of exoskeleton technology at the Cybathlon

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Andre van Rüschen has no memory of the day he lost all feeling in his legs. After a car accident in Germany, he had a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. When he woke up from a coma in a hospital in Hamburg, the docto...

Rewalk exoskeleton allows paralyzed users to walk

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Rewalk Exoskeleton 1

Rewalk, the robotic exoskeleton means to get paralyzed people walking again – and believe it or not, it seems to be doing an incredible job of it.

Paralyzed people have a hell of a situation to deal with – which is why we as a society spend so many resources trying to help them. Product of that is Rewalk, the exoskeleton that works as a mechanical set of legs and crutches. Unveiled last weekend at React, Rewalk helped Marcela Turnage, a victim of a spinal cord injury from Dallas to walk again after 12 years.

Rewalk works by powering movement of the hips and legs, allowing users to stand, walk and turn. It is powered by a single 28-volt lithium battery with enough juice for 8 hours, but the unit also carries a back up battery so users could technically use it for an entire day without any hiccups. With the help of the computers and motion sensors incorporated on Rewalk users can even climb stairs or walk on uneven terrain – as the tilt sensors detect the body shift in one direction, Rewalk takes a step. These units also come with a control unit on a brace, where users can change modes to stand, sit, walk or climb.

The FDA has approved this exoskeleton to be used to stand and walk, so we are not talking about some distant future but technology that is useful right now. Rewalk costs some $70,000, and needs to be approved by a professional physician who will determine whether the unit is useful or not for any given user. After that, users can take the unit back with them to use it at home or in public.

Via Web and Techs

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories at Dexmo F2 Haptic Exoskeleton Grants You Control Over Virtual Matter and Paraplegics In Iron Man-like Exoskeletons to Kick Off FIFA World Cup ’14.

 

Argo Medical refreshes ReWalk Rehabilitation exoskeleton

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ImageRoughly two years after the launch of the ReWalk, Argo Medical Technologies is getting ready to refresh its assisted walking exoskeleton. The 2.0 version of the ReWalk's Rehabilitation model made its debut today, sporting a new Rapid Exchange slider that makes it easier to size the device to fit wearers in the physical rehabilitation settings for which it was built, making it easier to use the device with a number of different patients. Also new is the Beginner Gait Mode -- revamped software aimed to soften the learning curve for those new to the device. The Rehabilitation is one of two ReWalk models offered up by the company. Its counterpart, the ReWalk Personal, is, as its name implies, intended for home usage. That model is currently awaiting FDA approval here in the States. More info on the new exoskeleton can be found after the break in the form of a handy press release.

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ARGO Medical Technologies Unveils Advancement of its Exoskeleton Technology with Launch of ReWalk Rehabilitation 2.0

ARGO Medical Technologies has unveiled the newest generation of its ReWalk Rehabilitation exoskeleton that enables individuals with spinal cord injuries the ability to walk again. The 2.0 system is designed to make it easier to treat multiple individuals each day, it also has new software features that support beginner users and new sizing that allows each system to fit a broader range of patients.

ReWalk Rehabilitation 2.0 Highlights:

· Rapid Exchange: A new slider adjustment mechanism accelerates and simplifies the process of sizing for individual users with a new sizing scale and a simple "click" that indicates the alignment of joints.

· Universal Sizing: The new model fits a wide range of heights in just one device. Clinicians can easily adjust the unit to fit users between 160cm -190cm in height.

· Beginner Gait Mode: Newly enhanced software has improved the learning process to support and transition new users as they learn to take their first steps in the ReWalk.

"I am very excited to launch this new generation of exoskeleton technology. We have learned from the everyday use by clinicians and the experience of their patients and believe as a company it is essential we continue to enhance this technology to meet the needs of those working with it." said Larry Jasinski, ARGO CEO. "The ReWalk Rehabilitation 2.0 offers an experience that is very close to natural walking and this new model will improve the learning curve to allow ReWalkers to quickly gain comfort as they begin to walk independently."

ARGO currently offers two ReWalk models - the ReWalk Personal, currently available in Europe and pending FDA review in the US; and the ReWalk Rehabilitation which is now available in Europe, Israel and the United States. Both models are designed to provide a customized user experience with on-board computers and motion sensors that restore self-initiated walking without needing tethers or switches to begin movement. The ReWalk uses patented technology with motorized legs that power knee and hip movement. It controls movement using subtle changes in center of gravity, mimics natural gait and provides functional walking speed. A forward tilt of the upper body is sensed by the system, which triggers the first step. Repeated body shifting generates a sequence of steps, which allows natural and efficient walking.

"Training in the ReWalk has changed my life in a way I did not believe possible after I became paralyzed," said Sgt. Theresa Hannigan, U.S. Army Retired and ReWalk user. "When I use the ReWalk I regain my independence; I have been able to walk a 1 mile road race, and stand up hug my friends and family."

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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: fluorescent bulb moon, fuel-efficient supersonic jet and a toxin-eating oyster park

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Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Inhabitat's Week in Green

Man-made technology is great, but Mother Nature is the greatest inventor of them all -- and scientists are discovering new ways to take advantage of the tools found in nature. Take, for example, a team of researchers from Vanderbilt University who developed a solar cell using the photosynthetic protein found in spinach. In New York, Scape Studio has proposed to use the oyster's natural cleaning ability to help clean up the contaminated waters of the Gowanus Canal. The firm has received funding to create Oyster-tecture, an oyster park at the mouth of the canal where millions of mollusks will "eat" toxins. Meanwhile, the US Forest Service has been deriving cellulose nanocrystals from wood pulp extract to create a material that's stronger than Kevlar and carbon fiber.

Continue reading Inhabitat's Week in Green: fluorescent bulb moon, fuel-efficient supersonic jet and a toxin-eating oyster park

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: fluorescent bulb moon, fuel-efficient supersonic jet and a toxin-eating oyster park originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ReWalk Robotic Exoskeletons Let Paraplegics Walk Again

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Being confined to a wheelchair due to some sort spinal cord injury can severely limit the ability for people to get around and do things on their own. A company called Argo Medical Technologies creates robotic exoskeletons called ReWalk that paraplegics can wear to allow them to walk at virtually the same speed as people that have use of their legs. The catch with these devices is that they are $85,000 each.

rewalk

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in California received several of the ReWalk exoskeletons from a donor. The center is treating paraplegics using the ReWalk to enable the patients to walk around freely. Using the exoskeleton, a paraplegic woman was able to climb stairs, get out of the car, and go to the restroom without any assistance at a pace similar to that of your average person.

The downside to these exoskeletons at this point is that the FDA has only approved the exoskeleton to be used in a hospital setting. The developer of the ReWalk devices is hoping the FDA will approve the use of the systems in the home. One day, rather than being confined to a wheelchair, people who can’t use their legs will be able to devices like the ReWalk instead. The company who makes the exoskeletons also hopes to produce a version for quadriplegics in future.

[via KLTA]