Hi /sci/, /x/ here. Now to start this off, I should say that I'm not very good at either science or math, and this is why I come to you guys.
What do you think about human augmentations? Less so pills and medicines and all, but moreso cybernetics? When/if do you think we'll see it implemented? Do you think ethical issues should be taken into account with it?
Personally, I think if we ever reach a point where cybernetics became a really good or even perfected technology, I'd want to replace a limb or two with a cybernetic one. Maybe eyes, too, I have terrible eyes.
Name:
A Small Step2013-05-10 15:46
A small step for robotics...
Wearable robots help those paralysed from waist down to walk again
ON HIS FEET: Mr Gore who is paralysed from the waist down because of a spinal injury, walking with the aid of the wearable robot called Indego.
WHEN Mr Michael Gore stands, it's a triumph of science and engineering.
Eleven years ago, he was paralysed from the waist down in a workplace accident, yet he rises from his wheelchair and walks across the room with help from a lightweight wearable robot.
It is also called "electronic legs" or "powered exoskeletons". The version used by Mr Gore is called Indego.
It is among several competing products being used and tested in US rehab hospitals that hold promise not only for people such as Mr Gore, but also those recovering from strokes or afflicted with multiple scierosis and cerebral palsy.
Still at least a year away from the market, the 12.25kg Indego is the lightest of the powered exoskeletons. It snaps together from pieces that fit into backpack.
The goal is for the user to be able to carry it on a wheelchair, put it together, strap it on and walk independently.
None of the products, including Indego, are yet approved by US regulators for personal use, meaning they must be used under the supervision of a physical therapist.
Mr Gore, 42, demonstrated the device this week at the American Spinal Injury Association meeting in Chicago, successfully negotiating a noisy, crowded hallway of medical professionals and people with spinal injuries in wheelchairs.
When he leans forward, the device takes a first step. When he tilts from side to side, it walks. When Mr Gore wants to stop, he leans back and the robotic leg braces come to a halt. Mr Gore uses forearm crutches for balance. A battery in the hip piece powers the motors in the legs.
"Being able to speak with you eye-to-eye is just a big emotional boost," Mr Gore told a reporter. "Being able to walk up to you and say hello is not a big thing until you cannot do it."
The devices won't replace wheelchairs, which are faster. Companies in Israel, New Zealand and California make competing devices, and all the products are becoming less bulky as they are refined.
Indego was invented at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and tested at the Shepherd Center, a rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta. It's now licensed to Cleveland-based Parker Hannifin Corp, which makes precision engineered products like aircraft wheels and brakes.
Cost
It's unclear exactly how much the devices will cost if they become available for personal use. Some technology news media reports have said US$50,000 to Us$75,000.
Paul Tobin, president of the nonprofit advocacy group United Spinal said wearable robot presents an exciting opportunity, but that patients should keep their expectations realistic.
"It's going to be critical that people have a through medical evaluation before trying something like this, especially if they've been injured for some time," he said. - AP