Amit Goffer , a Israeli entrepreneur that was left a quadriplegic in a car crash in 1997, went on a mission to help other victims walk again.He started speculating why the wheelchair was the only way for the paralyzed to get around, short of being carried.So he invented robotic pants , The rewalk that use motors and sensors to allow paralyzed patients to walk ,stand and climb stairs.
He founded a company, Argo Medical Technologies Ltd.to market it,Argo joins several companies that have developed exoskeletons and robotics in medicine.The ReWalk, is the latest device can help paraplegics to stand and walk using crutches for stability , when they lean forward and move their upper body in different ways.After several years of clinical in both the united states and Israel , the robotic pants will go on sale in January to rehabilitation centers around the world.”ReWalk is a man machine device. The machine cannot walk by itself. The user cannot walk by himself. Only when they are together they can walk,” said Oren Tamari, Argo’s chief operating officer.
He said regular usage of the device, which costs about $100,000, would prevent costly complications that often arise in people who can’t walk, including pressure sores and urinary, digestive, circulatory, and cardiovascular problems.
The 35 pound device,is worn outside of clothing,it consists of leg braces outfitted with motion sensors and motorized joints that respond to subtle changes in upper body movement and shifts in balance. A harness around the patient’s waist and shoulders keeps the suit in place and a backpack holds a 3 1/2 hour rechargeable battery and computer.Goffer has not been able to take advantage of the rewalk , he said his company is working a version for for quadriplegic
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