Can you imagine how difficult it must be for those who are bound to a life in a wheelchair? Thankfully Hayden Allen knows this only too well as he has a damaged spinal cord. Since then he has been developing a device that will hopefully do away with all wheelchairs — well in most cases.
The device is called REX or Robotic Legs Exoskeleton and it certainly works, as you can see Allen use it himself in the two videos below. The best way to describe REX is like a pair of robotic legs, you will see in the video that those normally bound to a wheelchair are able to stand and move around more freely.
There are so many benefits to this system, especially to your health. When you sit in a wheelchair all day you are more prone to bladder infections as the water cannot wash through correctly. Being able to stand eliminates this issue and also helps the muscles in your legs, as they would often waste away and become skinny over time.
Being able to stand and walk around aided by the Robotic Legs Exoskeleton allows you to enjoy everyday life more and also offers greater job opportunities. Vlad Savov from Engadget learned from a press release that those wanting to purchase one would have to complete a medical appraisal first.
The only downside to REX is its price — costing $150,000 that price will be lower in New Zealand, as that is where the device is built.
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.
