Man was born to stand on two legs. There are those who have been born with problems in their lower extremities which then make walking an impossible thing. There are also those who were able to walk but meet unfortunate accidents that leave them unable to walk anymore. Many people do not find the idea of traveling in a wheelchair appealing at all. It restricts people from doing things and for some; it may even be a sign of weakness.
Amanda Boxtel, a skier, fit the latter description. She is a paraplegic due to the injury she got while skiing that made her paralyzed from the waist down. It was 19 years ago when she got into a skiing accident and she always thought that she would never be able to walk again. But with the innovations that are popular today, walking may not be impossible after all. Researchers in California have developed a robotic suit that will easily help people like Amanda to walk again, to stand upright and do what other people could do.
The robotic suit was demonstrated at the London International Technology Show and it may be the answer to the prayers of a lot of paralyzed people. The legs contained some sort of sensor that detected movements from the upper part of the body and were then translated into foot movements (strides). Amanda was able to use the suit first-hand during the show and afterwards, she went home and cried. The experience brought her to tears because it was a life-changing event for her and it gave her so much hope. She says that with the suit, she would be able to do the things that she used to do, such as talk to people eye to eye instead of looking up at them.
The suit was originally designed to give soldiers out in the field superhuman strength. After researches were done, they adapted the concept and adjusted it according to the needs of those who are paralyzed. The maker, Ekso Bionics (a company), wants to take away the barriers and limitations of those who are paraplegic and give them a chance to have independence and more freedom of movement. Eythor Bender, the chief executive, believes that the suits would be very helpful especially when they are used in rehabilitation centers. This is truly a step for paraplegics towards a more independent and mobile life.