The greatest gift of technology, arguably, is ‘mobility for the physically challenged’. We have been witness to a remarkable progress on this front, with automatic wheelchairs being replaced by robotic exoskeletons that are as much a part of one’s body as original limbs are. TheyShallWalk, a non-profit medical research organization, has taken this concept to the next level by unveiling its prototype LIFESUIT. And, there are no prizes for guessing what makes this product different. It offers….yes, better comfort. Prototype 14 of this design weighs just 75 pounds (32 kilograms) and is driven by compressed air. The upper speed cap is 2.5 mph, which essentially means paraplegics would never have to walk like snails again. Ascending and descending stairs would also be quite simple.
Prototype 15 goes one step higher by offering better automation. It requires no human assistance for balancing. It is also expected that future models would be fabricated with bio-synthetic muscle fibers, and powered by fuel cells and light-weight batteries. If it ever comes to that, the exoskeleton can be worn as a wet-suit under the clothes and nobody would ever discover that the user is physically challenged. All said, we hope this time the price doesn’t lead to a situation where mobility dreams slip out of the fingers of the paraplegic like slithery sand. They need to walk!
Via:Theyshallwalk
