New-Generation Exoskeleton Helps the Paralyzed to Walk
February 5, 2016 | UC BerkeleyEstimated reading time: 1 minute
This week, a new, lighter and more agile exoskeleton, for which the Kaz lab developed the original technology, was unveiled earlier this week: The Phoenix, by SuitX, a company that has spun off the robotics lab. Kazerooni is its founder and CEO.
The Phoenix is lightweight, has two motors at the hips and electrically controlled tension settings that tighten when the wearer is standing and swing freely when they’re walking. Users can control the movement of each leg and walk up to 1.1 miles per hour by pushing buttons integrated into a pair of crutches. It’s powered for up to eight hours by a battery pack worn in a backpack.
“We can’t really fix their disease,” says Kazerooni. “We can’t fix their injury. But what it would do is postpone the secondary injuries due to sitting. It gives a better quality of life.”
Kazarooni and his team have developed a series of exoskeletons over the years. Their work in the field began in 2000 with a project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to create a device, now called the Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton (BLEEX), that could help people carry heavier loads for longer. At that time, Kazerooni also realized the potential use for exoskeletons in the medical field, particularly as an alternative to wheelchairs.
The team began developing new devices to restore mobility for people who had become paraplegic.
In 2011, they made the exoskeleton that helped Berkeley senior Austin Whitney, paralyzed from the waist down in a 2007 car accident, make an epic walk across the graduation stage to receive his diploma. Soon after, the Austin Project was created in honor of Whitney, with a goal of finding new technologies to create reliable, inexpensive exoskeleton systems for everyday personal use.
Today, the Phoenix is one of the lightest and most accessible exoskeletons to hit the market. It can be adjusted to fit varied weights, heights and leg sizes and can be used for a range of mobility hindrances. And, although far from inexpensive at $40,000, it’s about the half the cost of other exoskeletons that help restore mobility.
Suggested Items
The Delicate Balance of Sustainable Business and Going Green
03/25/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamAlex Stepinski is known throughout the industry as an innovator and disruptor committed to environmental sustainability, primarily through his current work around zero liquid discharge (ZLD) for PCB fabrication. But Alex says financial sustainability must come first. Standing firm in his belief that green is the most financially sustainable option for manufacturing and financial success, he explains his position and vision for a greener, more lucrative future for bare board fabricators. “Before I retire in about 10 years,” he says, “I want to make sure that all new fabs, and at least 25% of the old ones are zero liquid discharge in this industry.”
A Replacement for Traditional Motors Could Enhance Next-gen Robots
03/25/2024 | Stanford UniversityWhether it’s a powered prosthesis to assist a person who has lost a limb or an independent robot navigating the outside world, we are asking machines to perform increasingly complex, dynamic tasks.
DirectPCB Opens Office in Europe
03/21/2024 | DirectPCBDirectPCB, a printed circuit board supplier with offices in Largo, Florida and Shenzhen, China, has opened DirectPCB Europe in Barcelona, Spain.
Beyond Design: The Art of Presenting PCB Design Courses
03/21/2024 | Barry Olney -- Column: Beyond DesignIn the early days of my career, I was a typical backroom geek more comfortable with technology than engaging in conversation. My obsession lay in my work, fueled by the exhilaration of mastering new technologies. The notion of standing before a class of 50 or more individuals to deliver a solo weeklong course seemed utterly terrifying. But necessity gives birth to innovation. When confronted with challenges, we have two choices: step up or fade into oblivion.
Dan Beaulieu: It’s All About the Customer Experience
03/11/2024 | Nolan Johnson, PCB007Dan Beaulieu is an industry expert in sales and marketing who understands the unique dynamics of working in both B2B and B2C efforts. Through his work with companies across the electronics manufacturing industry, Dan advocates for businesses to always deliver a top-notch customer experience. Customer experience may not stop world wars—or might it? Read on to get a perspective that only Dan Beaulieu can deliver.