An exoskeleton developed with a grant from the US military has been trialed by paraplegic "test pilots" in the UK, allowing people who are wheelchair-bound to walk.
A new centre has opened at the private healthcare clinic, Technology in Motion, in Leeds and is the first in Europe where spinal cord injury patients can use the Ekso from California-based Ekso Bionics.
Ekso Bionics, formerly called Berkeley Bionics, was founded in 2005 and unveiled the eLegs, as the Ekso wearable robot is also known, in 2010. They were number two in Wired US's "Top Ten Gadgets" last year.
The Ekso is a battery-powered, ready-to-wear exoskeleton that is worn over clothes. It supports the patient's body and enables "unprecedented knee flexion", says the company, "delivering the most natural human gait available in any exoskeleton today".
In February this year, the company delivered the first commercial unit of the exoskeleton to Craig Hospital in Denver. It has also licensed its technology to Lockheed Martin for military use. The company's European managing director, Andy Hayes, told Wired.co.uk that the volume of enquiries from Europe led the company to the decision to open test centres here; and the two planned could quickly be joined by more in other European countries.
The robot has been tested by three users in the UK, among whom was Suzanne Edwards who told Wired.co.uk that she thought standing up wearing the device "would be a lot more difficult than it was" and "after a few steps, it just felt natural". She has now had eight sessions using the robot and will be joined by others who meet the criteria. They must be between 1.5m and 1.9m tall, weigh 100kg or less, and have "at least partial upper body strength and good range of motion".
Steve Mottram from Technology in Motion adds that people will pay £350 for the initial assessment, then £200 for each session using the exoskeleton if they are deemed suitable. This is not available on the NHS as yet, as says Hayes, it seems to be something the health service is "sceptical" of.
However, two of Ekso Bionics' seven physiotherapists had to be on hand at all times during the sessions and this is something Ekso is looking to change in the future, says Hayes. The company is working on a lighter, cheaper device, he says, that could be used by patients in their own homes but this, again, will have to be under supervision. This could arrive in the next 18 months to two years. The issue, however, is how to prevent people falling over.
This is something that Ekso Bionics is teaming up with academic institutions to tackle and has already visited four universities in the UK. The ultimate hope though is for an exoskeleton that people can use entirely by themselves.
In the meanwhile, Ekso is running a pan-European study into the physiological as well as psychological benefits of using the exoskeleton. These effects will include improved bladder and bowel function, increased muscle length and improved circulation. Nine spinal injury clinics are involved. "We want to enhance independence and freedom of movement, but we are committed to working with our clinical partners to ensure this technology is brought to users safely and ethically," says Hayes, "and with Ekso, we are starting to see that future."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
