Ask the Experts: Paraplegics Walk With eLegs
When you see images of the Ekso Bionics’ eLegs you might think they’re from the set of one of the Terminator films or that you’re watching an Alien movie. Only they didn’t and you’re not.
Instead you’re witnessing the latest breakthrough in biomechanical engineering, developed initially at theUniversity of California to help US soldiers accommodate heavier loads.
The aim and intention of Californian based Ekso Bionics (formerly Berkeley Bionics) is to “pioneer the field of exoskeletons, designing and creating some of the most forward-thinking and innovative solutions for people looking to augment human mobility and capability.”
To achieve those goals they have adjusted the hydraulic mechanism of the original suit, transforming their debut military exoskeleton into a medical one. Since 2010 they have been testing it in trials involving eight community test pilots, dramatically changing the lives of those test pilots.
The exoskeleton, or Ekso as it’s known, is a device consisting of a frame that’s wrapped around the body; there are sensors in the braces and crutches, while the backpack holds forty-five pounds of batteries, which will last up to four hours, and a computer.
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