eLegs let paraplegics walk again (photos)
Berkeley Bionics' eLegs robotic exoskeleton is giving paraplegics hope for new freedoms.
eLegs
Amanda Boxtel
Living life in a wheelchair, she says, means always looking up at people. Taking steps in the eLegs exoskeleton, she says, means she can look people straight in the eye. She can get real hugs, and maybe even go for hikes outdoors, one of her favorite activities.
Walking across stage
The eLegs robotic frame is controlled through standard crutches outfitted with sensors and a gesture-based human-machine interface. Move the right crutch forward, and the left leg takes a step, propelling the patient forward in smooth, natural-stepping motions.
eLegs
Introduced into rehabilitation clinics
Berkeley Bionics CEO Eythor Bender said the company is hoping to make the eLegs system available for around $50,000, about half the cost of current high-end wheelchairs.
Regaining the movements of walking
Boxtel said it feels incredible to once again walk with a bent knee, take a step from heel to toe, and place a foot flat on the ground.
The base of eLegs
Lithium cobalt batteries
Upper body strength needed
Patients need to be able to self-transfer from a wheelchair. They then put the eLegs system on with just a few velcro straps and the backpack shoulder harness.