ROBOTIC SKELETON: Sci-fi? Now it&#=
8217;s
Reality.
Group 8
Tiffany Duh= amel, Elizabeth Sewell, Katherine Watson
Key Words: Exoske= leton, ReWalk, BLEEX, Paralyzed, Argo, Research
There has been a new discovery made in the world of me= dical technology. It has now become possible for the physically paralyzed to walk. Several robotic inventions have recently been developed to aide those with disabilities as well as giving fully functioning people increased capabilit= ies. Hardware devices referred to as Robo Skeleton&#= 8217;s have been created for those paralyzed from the waist down. These developmen= ts are giving the disabled a chance at performing basic functions such as standing, walking, and even climbing; none of which were even a considerati= on or possible before. Revolutio= nary developments such as these will pave the way for more robotic advancements = and allow for more opportunities that were once thought to be impossible.
In November of 2007, Argo Medical Technologies announc= ed the launch of its new ReWalk product, which is now undergoing clinical trials. = Argo is based out of Haifa, Israel and is a leading creator of walking devices f= or those with lower body paralysis and other disabilities. It is amazing to th= ink that this company was founded in 2001, only 6 years before creating this amazing device! Dr. Amit G= offer, the founder of Argo, was inspired by his own paralysis to create an alterna= tive to the wheelchair. Dr. Goffer states, “The sedentary wheelchair- with all its known detrimental impact on physical and= mental health, productivity and inclusion- was until not the standard for mobility= . By providing a realistic alternative to the wheelchair, R= eWalk is actually the first real step forward in mobility assistance in almost 100 years.” Argo Medical Technologies and Technion have produced some of= the world’s most novel technologies. It is expected that by the year 2010, the ReWalk device will be available to the general public and not just something they read about and visualize in their minds.
The ReWalk device relieves= several of the health related problems that come with the long term use of wheelcha= irs. It is a “quasi-robotic ambulation” structure that people with paralysis, or other similar issues, disabling the lower extremities can emp= loy. This device allows for movement of the lower half unlike the commonly used wheelchair. This piece of hardware= works WITH the disabled not for them! By keeping the lower half moving, peopl= e do not suffer as severely from atrophy or pressure sores. ReWalk functions by = mimicking the exoskeleton of a crab. Using advanced motion sensing technology, Argo Medical Technologies created this device so that it may fit on and work wit= h a person’s legs. Unfortuna= tely, the ReWalk device is not suitable for people wh= o have poor control over their hands and shoulders. However, with such a device ha= ving been developed so quickly, it is only a matter of time before this negative factor will be no more.
When wearing a ReWalk device, certain movements, such = as leaning forward, prompt the body sensors in the ReWalk= ’s hardware to work allowing the legs to be put in motion. People who use this device will walk with crutches and control their movements by how they tran= sfer their body’s center of gravity. User’s of the ReWalk hardware w= ear a device the same way they would a backpack. Along with the backpack, they = wear braces on their legs and wear a remote control on their wrist so they may choose which activity they want to do. It has been said that while this dev= ice will improve the quality of life, provide a positive alternative to the wheelchair, and help those confined to a wheelchair walk again, it will more than likely not be a device of convenience. Kate Parki= n, director of physical and occupational therapy at NYU Medical Center, has sa= id that “the benefits to the user are two-fold.” Physically it is beneficial becaus= e our bodies are intended to function upright, different muscles are used and the lungs are able to fully expand. Psychologically the Re= Walk is an improvement from the wheelchair because it puts people at eye level w= ith others; they aren’t constantly looking up at everyone and having to reach up = for basic things such as food on the kitchen counter.
A team of researchers at the University of California = in Berkeley have created the Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton, also known = as BLEEX. BLEEX is a self-powered exoskeleton that outlines the human body and takes weight burdens off of the BLEEX users allowing those individuals to c= arry up to 70 pounds beyond their normal weight capacity with little to no effor= t. It was designed for the user to take heavy loads far distances. This device could make great changes medically and in the military. It will make carryi= ng soldiers off of a battlefield an easy, one-man job. Rescue workers will now= be able to deliver medical supplies and food to people who are inaccessible by vehicle. This device was crea= ted after the mechanics of the basic human step, ankles, and knees were analyzed for about a year. It requires no special training, knobs, or buttons; only a computer to control the frame so it moves in sync with the user. This will improve the quality of life and further what is possible for many people in physically demanding fields. By being able to go above and beyond what was first possible, more lives may be saved.
The inventions of devices such as ReWalk and BLEEX are revolutionary for not just for the disabled but all mankind. = Along with enhancing the quality of life for the disabled, these devices will aide rescue teams, firefighters, the military, and all citizens impacted by these citizens work. With time, these inventions will be amended and improved. The possibilities are never-ending when it comes to the immense things that can= be derived from such creations. The ReWalk and BLE= EX offer hope and help for millions of people around the world. Radi Kaiof, an ex-Israeli paratrooper, was paralyzed for 20 years before before<= /span> he was introduced to ReWalk= and it changed his life, “I never dreamed I would walk again. After I= was wounded, I forgot what it’s like. Only when standing up can I feel how tall I really am and speak to people eye to eye, not from below. This device changed my life.” It is testimonies like this that make all the hard = work that went into developing such revolutionary technology worth it. Such a remarkable apparatus will pave the way to the developments of even more dev= ices that can further help in assisting those with such disabilities. The paralyzed walking isn’t = just science fiction anymore; it is reality thanks to several teams of scientists and researchers.
REFERENCES
Hillman, J. =
(2008)
Robo=
-skeleton lets paralysed
walk. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from BBC NEWS Health.=
Website: http://news.bbc.=
co.uk/2/hi/health/7582240.stm#top
Goffer. A. (2007, Nove=
mber
1). ReWalk™ Press Release, [Press Release]. Argo Medical Technologi=
es
Ltd. Website: http://www.argomedtec.com/pdfs/Argo%20Medical%20=
Technologies%20Ltd%20-%20Press%20Release.pdf
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.&n=
bsp;
Fukuoka, Ja=
pan
2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.