Exoskeleton helps spinal cord and stroke victims walk again
31-year-old Laquan Taylor was told he would never walk again. But with the help of an exoskeleton suit donated by SoldierStrong, he is getting his sense of independence back.
Most of us take it for granted, but when a paralyzed veteran stood up and walked today, it was like a miracle had changed his world.
Laquan Taylor was shot numerous times by a carjacker.
“I was in a vegetative state. I was told I would never walk again,” said the 31-year-old Navy veteran.
But he’s proving them wrong with the use of new technology: An exoskeleton suit.
“It allows me to stand. It gives me the sense of confidence again without falling or having issues,” he explained.With some help from his physical therapist, Taylor stood and walked across a room at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa.
The Ekso GT exoskeleton was donated to the hospital by SoldierStrong, a group that had already donated 16 exoskeletons across the country at a cost of more than $100,000 each.
“I’ve seen this a hundred times now and every time is special. You see the smile on their face, their eyes light up,” said Chris Meek, co-founder of SoldierStrong.
Dr. Kevin White, a spinal cord injury specialist, says he expects the devices will become cheaper.“This is going to be commonplace in a short period of time. As years go by this technology gets better and better.”
He says the exoskeleton donated today can help people with full or partial paralysis. It’s FDA approved for both spinal cord injuries and stroke.
LaQuan says the exoskeleton has accelerated his therapy and improved his outlook. “It gives you your sense of independence back.”
SoldierStrong has partnered with some of America’s most advanced medical technology companies to make their devices accessible to returning veterans. The SoldierStrong SoldierSuit is comprised of several state-of-the-art rehabilitation and powered prosthetic technologies that address a variety of combat and non-combat related disabilities. Read more about them here:
Category: Veterans Issues
It’s this area of robotics that is extremely fascinating to me, the coding and the control systems are some amazing technologies.
I’ve been reading some about this device and I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the potential. Thank you for posting a timely article about a truly innovative and exciting technology that could change the lives of a great many spinal cord injury patients.
This is just the start of it. There is more coming down the road.
Kudos to Soldier Strong for their efforts to get these aids to people who need them.
Saw some of this on the lame steam media lately. Hope it continues. Tried to figure out from their web site how much of the total raised was used V spent on over head and for the Vets. Not an accountant, so it just kinda confused me. Be nice if every warrior could be out fitted and throw away their crutches, wheel chairs ect. I do understand that the Operation Comfort Warrior that the Legion runs, takes no funds out for over head costs.
This is my kind of exoskeleton.
+1
The advancements made in the last 30 years in prosthetic are amazing. I remember as a kid, it was obvious when you’d see a guy with a missing limb. Now? Not so much. You usually have to be told.
This is technology that’ll rapidly advance, becoming smaller and more powerful. Soon, you won’t even know that someone is a para or quadriplegic. We might even get to a point where wheelchairs are a thing of the past.
We truly live in the future.
This really is important stuff. Wonderful advances thanks to real scientists and caring docs/medical staff.
Will admit though to thinking that we have already seen this sort of thing on some not-a-vet, disguised under loose clothing and neck scarves…
Reference to the ‘hag-that-will-not-go-away’ ?
If all the evidence is correct, she’ll be dead of Parkinson’s Disease soon.
we can only hope. However with the amount of $ she and ole bj billie stole she’s probably got enough stashed away to do the Stephan Hawkins thing and be around for another 100 years.
You mean that former SoS that dresses up like a Kirby vacuum bag?
That would be the one. Hated that bitch since the dawning of the Age of Nixon beating hell out of Humphrey Dumphrey, got worse when the whole Water Gate Hearings thing got going.
Cankles McPantsuit, you mean?