Owen Balseiro                                                                                                9/11/12

The article that I read was New Breed of Robotics Aims to Help People Walk Again, and it was about how companies like Ekso are researching and creating robotic machines to help people with physical disabilities walk again. With funding from the military and collaborating with Berkley University they have 15 rehabilitation centers around the country that help people with these new technologies. Though no one is able to have one for themself yet, progress is being made towards having this idea realized.

            Other research is also being put towards military bionic suits that allow soldiers to carry up to 200 pounds in equipment over varied terrain. The suit can also be used to protect soldiers from the injuries of heavy lifting including spinal injuries.

            Another problem with the bionic design of the Esko is that it is not yet ready for use at home and with all the materials that are used to make the suit, it is going to be hard to bring the price down. But if the military starts to use the suit more widely the price could go down.

If the suit does overcome all of these hurdles this could be new great invention of our time. Just having thousands of disabled war vets, or people from car accidents or people being born with disabilities, being able to walk. Their lives could be changed forever and no longer living a limited life because of their disabilities. This technology could also spread to people who could be given an artificial limb that moves just like their old one. The possibilities are endless. This suit is a great advancement in the medical field of our time and let’s hope that the suit gets by all boundaries so it can help the lives of thousands.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/technology/wearable-robots-that-can-help-people-walk-again.html?ref=science&_r=0moc.semityn.www