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When Dr. Amit Goffer experienced an accident that left him
partially-paralyzed, he didn't give up. Being an engineer, he decided to take
the matter into his own hands and create "robotic trousers" called ReWalk.
ReWalk acts as an exoskeleton version of leg bones and
muscles that allows Goffer to restore the power and strength he had lost. It is
made of plastic-covered aluminum struts that are linked by actuator motors and
strapped to the user's legs, waist, and as a backpack. The struts feature
sensors throughout to send information about the body to a computer located in
the backpack. This computer is signals to the actuators what to do.
A remote control on the wrist also allows the user to
communicate with the computer about what they're trying to achieve, including
the commands: stand, sit, walk, ascend and descend. Algorithms analyze the
sensor data to allow the actuators to function appropriately.
ReWalk is currently undergoing trials in Israel, the United
States, and Europe. Dr. Goffer hopes that one day the system will allow
paralyzed persons an opportunity to live a normal life.
Source: The
Economist
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Re: ReWalk Offers Hope for Paralysis Suffers
