If this headline sounds a bit sci-fi….well it‘s because the idea originally came from of a beloved sci-fi novel. And now - it’s also close to becoming a reality. We’re finally living in an age where these seemingly bipolar realities are becoming one.
The 411: Monty Reed, a partially paralyzed ex-Army Ranger, got the idea to create a robo-suit to enable people with paralysis walk again after reading Starship Troopers, a classic sci-fi novel written by Robert Heinlein. The story follows soldiers who are given robo-suits, which can carry up to 2,000 lbs. He’s been working on his idea since the mid ‘80s.
And now, after years of tinkering alone, he’s getting some much needed assistance. Reed, Dr. Steven Stiens (who‘s also paralyzed), and 40 other volunteers from the University of Washington Medical School, all gather in Reed’s workshop twice a week, to help his vision of creating a functional lightweight robo-suit come to fruition.
Last year, Reed and Dr. Stiens entered their current model (which looks a bit clunky, although it works) into the International Robo Games, winning both the Silver and Gold medals. The design’s main components are air tanks, the kind typically used for scuba diving, leg braces, and a computer chip that’s programmed to mimic leg movement.
They project a test model will be available for testing in hospitals in the near future, adding that a streamlined home version should be available by 2015. That’s just a mere 6 years away. Not long at all if you think about it. I’ll be 36 by then and will be DEFINITELY rearing to take my robo-suit for a walk around Lake Calhoun by that time….
So - in case this whole stem cell thing doesn’t pan out the way we‘re all hoping it does - this is a decent alternative. I mean, hey…beggars can’t be choosers, right?
Click here to watch video of the suit in action.
