When I first came across the exoskeleton suit all I could think about was this:
Could an exoskeleton suit mean that a wheelchair user could walk again?
Simple as that. I started this website because of that almost unthinkable possibility. So this site is not about the military applications – this is about the possibility of using exoskeleton suits to help people get out of their wheelchairs and walk.
The aim of ExoskeletonSuit.net is to become a key, non-commercial resource for exoskeleton suits, with news, views and input from people all over the world.
If you are a wheelchair user, or if you are close to someone who is, you’re probably wondering if one day you yourself could walk using one of these devices. I don’t want to create any false hopes here, just to present information to you as it comes to us. These suits are still very much in development.
Even if and when they become widely available commercially, the price could be high. Even if you can afford one, it is very likely that many wheelchair users will not be able to benefit from this technology because of their particular level or type of disability.
Having said that, nobody would be so much as contemplating the development of the exoskeleton suit for wheelchair users unless there was a chance of a positive result for enough people to make it commercially viable, so there has to be hope.
As I write this, it’s a particularly interesting time in the development of exoskeleton technology, with a significant amount of work being done. That’s another reason for the building of a resource like ExoSkeletonSuit.net at this time.
We welcome your feedback and contributions – this website really does depend on it. Please leave a comment below. Perhaps you are interested in how this technology could affect you or those around you? Maybe you would like to see something new added to the website. Or maybe you just want to get in touch with others who are interested in the potential for this technology.
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When is ths suit available to buy/rent do you think? so many people need this
John, the company behind the one in the video did say that the Rewalk exoskeleton suit was due to be available commercially at the end of 2010. However, we await news on that and it all depends how well the tests go and whether FDA approval is given.
Please subscribe to our email updates on the top right of the page and we’ll let you know news as we get it.
Regards
Michael
i want to know whether it can be controlled by brain or manually …???
Thanks for your message.
One of the most hopeful types of suit is activated by sensors that detect small movements of the upper body that occur during normal walking. The movements are detected and then the motors in the exoskeleton suit are activated to produce the full walking movement. This type of suit is therefore not directly controlled by the brain but neither is it controlled by a conscious manual effort.
Hi there I couldnt reply by mail .
I saw the programme on monday 17/10.2011 channel 4 @ 8:00pm .
its called brave new world with steve hawking .
There will be another episode next week monday .it feature all this new inventions that makes such a change towards human being lives .
Ana
I’m posting a new article shortly with an update on the Ekso exoskeleton suit shown in the programme. Thanks for your comment Ana.
Here is the link to the new article, just published: http://exoskeletonsuit.net/exoskeleton-suit-blog/ekso-exoskeleton-suit
si how do we purchase one ? or do we wwait until it gets more advanced,,,, my nephew needs one, sounds like this would help him get out of wheel chair and begin taking some steps.
Hello Tony
I still don’t know of these being readily available for retail, but it is only a matter of time because product development is happening in several places in the world now. Then, it will be a question of how much they cost and how much they are subsidised by the relevant health bodies. I’ll try to keep the site up-to-date as news comes in.
Is Yobotics still in business? If they are, are they on Gilbert Ave or in Norwood?
Hi Jim
I don’t have a lot of recent information on them, but this is their web site: http://yobotics.com .