His Robot Legs May Lift People From Wheelchairs
By Dotson, Bob; MSNBC.com,Publication Date: March 20, 2009
News feature on the prototype for a robotic suit enabling paraplegics to walk, made of materials from a hobby shop. The prototype is the invention of a former Army Ranger, who put it together while recovering from a broken back resulting from a failed parachute jump. The robotic legs were first fashioned out of carpenter levels connected at the knee with an old compact disc; more advanced models incorporated a child’s car seat and hockey shin guards. The current version is run by a computer programmed to record the way a person normally moves, then duplicating those actions with man-made muscles. The robot is powered with air from a scuba tank. Improvements to the prototype, which has won top honors at the International Robo Games, are now being made by a scientific team headed by a professor at the University of Washington Medical School, who estimates that a streamlined, hospital-tested home version of the robot will be available by 2015. A link is provided to a 5-minute video-recorded interview with the inventor, who discusses its development and demonstrates how it works.
Published by: MSNBC (Website:http://www.msnbc.com)
Link to text: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29757493/
Link to video: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/29835530#29835530
