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ABLE TO WALK AGAIN
One touching moment came when Shane Mosko stood up and walked with the aid of a robotic exoskeleton.
Mosko, who has partial leg paralysis from a spinal cord injury, usually needs a wheelchair. The robotic aide from Ekso Bionic now allows him to walk about 500 steps before tiring. The system includes mechanized leg braces, a battery backpack and a walking cane with controls to operate the system. Software and weight sensors are used to adjust the mechanized gait to the ability of each user.
"I think half of what this brings to the table is the psychological aspect of looking people in the eyes," says Mosko. "You don't think about it, but being in a wheelchair, you are down low, you're in your own world."
Ekso cofounder Russ Angold said the Ekso GT has been used by about 3,500 patients recovering from stroke and spinal injuries since it was first sold in 2012.
"It gives you so much hope that spinal cord injuries are going to be a thing of the past someday," says Mosko.
