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Lαrα
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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 8, 2014 23:04:00 GMT -8

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Post by Lαrα on Jul 8, 2014 23:04:00 GMT -8

Theresa Hannigan a retired US army sergeant who was paralyzed 3 years ago is the first person to be given the device out of a rehab unit/specialised centre. In an interview she explained to CBS News that the biggest thing it will mean to her is in regaining independence.

The exoskeleton works by powering the hip and knee motion, this enables the person to stand and walk...It is reported that for personal use the ReWalk Exoskeleton costs $69, 500.
I think this is a great development in assisting mobility but i do hope it becomes an option that is available to all and not just those who can afford it. I can imagine insurance companies will not cherish the thought of funding it for individuals.
But im sure if they looked at the health benefits that will come from the upright mobility given by the Exoskeleton then they maybe will realise the potential for medical costs to reduce.
As we all know there are many associated health problems that come from lack of mobility so the insurance companies will get this back over a period of time!

If you would like to read the article which also includes a short video of Theresa walking and being interviewed then please click on source

If you enjoyed this thread, you may also be interested in this...The Obssession with Walking..Why?

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Butiki Advanced Member Posts: 2,270 Post Likes Received: 1,154 Date Joined: July 2013 Injury: L 3 ASIA B CES Date Injured: 16/11/2012 Member is: Offline Send PM	First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 8, 2014 23:40:25 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Butiki on Jul 8, 2014 23:40:25 GMT -8 My god, $69,500 That's a bit too expensive for me Lαrα.
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petelanddownunder Junior Member Posts: 80 Post Likes Received: 101 Date Joined: May 2014 Injury: T5/6 para Date Injured: 1980 Member is: Offline Send PM	First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 9, 2014 3:56:37 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by petelanddownunder on Jul 9, 2014 3:56:37 GMT -8 How much is that trike Butiki? lol
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truwrecks
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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 9, 2014 6:32:14 GMT -8

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Post by truwrecks on Jul 9, 2014 6:32:14 GMT -8

While I am glad someone is benefiting from the VA budget, there are many Veterans that could have better quality of life for the cost of the ReWalk money pit! I am ashamed at the level of waste in the VA when it comes to truly practical applications. ReWalk might be the current rage, but it is NOT the future of mobility! Cost, size, weight, and profile all have to shrink substantially before this will truly be a practical application.

Until you can walk WITHOUT CRUTCHES it is not substantial progress for Quality of Life! (I hope your reading this ReWalk!"

Practical to me means my hands are free to use for carrying things AND I can get into small spaces like my car without having to take my aids off! Anything else is a waste of money and NOT practical. You need to be able to use the mobility aids in every facet of everyday life. Walking around with a refrigerator worth of hardware strapped to your body is not practical for any purpose.

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Treat others how you want to be treated.

Butiki Advanced Member Posts: 2,270 Post Likes Received: 1,154 Date Joined: July 2013 Injury: L 3 ASIA B CES Date Injured: 16/11/2012 Member is: Offline Send PM	First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 9, 2014 12:59:24 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Butiki on Jul 9, 2014 12:59:24 GMT -8 Jul 9, 2014 3:56:37 GMT -8 petelanddownunder said: How much is that trike Butiki? lol $50,000
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DJ Administrator STAFF Posts: 8,162 Post Likes Received: 2,829 Date Joined: July 2013 Injury: C6 - ASIA B Date Injured: June 2011 Member is: Offline Send PM	First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 9, 2014 15:00:29 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by DJ on Jul 9, 2014 15:00:29 GMT -8 Pretty cool but wayyyyyy to expensive!

dlevy
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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 9, 2014 16:41:53 GMT -8

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Post by dlevy on Jul 9, 2014 16:41:53 GMT -8

That's awesome! I don't understand the negativity. I would take one! In fact I might buy one. I spent 50k on a POS dodge van of which I consider a colossal waste of money!

The more I am out of the chair and upright the better I feel. I have zero bowel problems and my bladder is getting better and better. I attribute much of that progress to simply standing in my braces. Sitting in this chair all day is torture.

My leg circulation problems are gone because of exercise. Being in this all day will certainly help circulation problems.

I hate my 80k standing wheelchair that was paid for by insurance.

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Lαrα
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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 9, 2014 20:21:37 GMT -8

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Post by Lαrα on Jul 9, 2014 20:21:37 GMT -8

Jul 9, 2014 16:41:53 GMT -8 dlevy said:

That's awesome! I don't understand the negativity. I would take one! In fact I might buy one. I spent 50k on a POS dodge van of which I consider a colossal waste of money!

The more I am out of the chair and upright the better I feel. I have zero bowel problems and my bladder is getting better and better. I attribute much of that progress to simply standing in my braces. Sitting in this chair all day is torture.

My leg circulation problems are gone because of exercise. Being in this all day will certainly help circulation problems.

I hate my 80k standing wheelchair that was paid for by insurance.

I can definitely see the advantages with this and im sure it will offer independence to many. There are clear benefits from the standing and walking that make it very useful and especially when comparing to standing wheelchairs.
Good points dlevy

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DJ
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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 10, 2014 3:02:09 GMT -8 via Inspired Mobile

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Post by DJ on Jul 10, 2014 3:02:09 GMT -8

dlevy I wasn't trying to be negative but if I had to choose between an accessible van or the exoskeleton, I'd definately choose the exoskeleton. Sure it'd be great to "walk" but I can imagine it being really limiting.

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Lαrα
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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 12, 2014 2:48:51 GMT -8

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Post by Lαrα on Jul 12, 2014 2:48:51 GMT -8

I personally don't think its as costly as i imagined it may be. Of course its a huge outlay and lets be honest, who has that kind of money sitting around?

The responsibility has got to be on the insurance companies to provide this. As dlevy has wisely pointed out, the insurance company paid $80,000 out for his standing wheelchair.
Compared to this..im sure the Exoskeleton is going to be considerably more beneficial.

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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 12, 2014 5:21:58 GMT -8

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Post by DJ on Jul 12, 2014 5:21:58 GMT -8

Jul 12, 2014 2:48:51 GMT -8 Lαrα said:

The responsibility has got to be on the insurance companies to provide this. As dlevy has wisely pointed out, the insurance company paid $80,000 out for his standing wheelchair.
Compared to this..im sure the Exoskeleton is going to be considerably more beneficial.

I'm going to have to disagree Lαrα. With a standing wheelchair you can drive around wherever you want, stand wherever you want and you can easily get in/out of wheelchair accessible transport vehicles. I think you're very limited to what you can do with an Exoskeleton. Again, it's only my opinion but if I had a choice to get either a standing chair or an Exoskeleton, I'd most definitely choose the standing chair.

I might reconsider when the Exoskeleton technology becomes a lot more compact and practical but until then, the chair it is!

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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 12, 2014 5:37:34 GMT -8

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Post by Lαrα on Jul 12, 2014 5:37:34 GMT -8

You are no doubt right too DJ...its just a different perspective.

From a walking benefit point of view i would say the exoskeleton offers more health benefits and more independence...but its debatable lol

I can imagine seeing more people out and about using the Exoskeleton rather then a standing chair.... and being used as part of rehab.

kilg0retr0ut Advanced Member Posts: 2,507 Post Likes Received: 1,862 Date Joined: July 2013 Injury: L4/5 Cauda Equina Date Injured: 7-15-10 Member is: Offline Send PM	First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 12, 2014 6:07:12 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by kilg0retr0ut on Jul 12, 2014 6:07:12 GMT -8 Remember the first cell phones (the ones in the big black bag), about the size of a shoe box. This is a great first step, pun intended.
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Lαrα Global Moderator STAFF Posts: 7,350 Post Likes Received: 3,100 Date Joined: August 2013 Injury: CES Date Injured: March 2011 Member is: Offline Send PM	First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 12, 2014 6:20:40 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Lαrα on Jul 12, 2014 6:20:40 GMT -8 Jul 12, 2014 6:07:12 GMT -8 kilg0retr0ut said: Remember the first cell phones (the ones in the big black bag), about the size of a shoe box. This is a great first step, pun intended. Good point!

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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home! Jul 12, 2014 12:00:51 GMT -8

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Post by DJ on Jul 12, 2014 12:00:51 GMT -8

Jul 12, 2014 5:37:34 GMT -8 Lαrα said:

You are no doubt right too DJ...its just a different perspective.

From a walking benefit point of view i would say the exoskeleton offers more health benefits and more independence...but its debatable lol

More health benefits for sure but more independence I'd think not. It moves extremely slow and you can't even get into vehicles while wearing it. That's a huge limiting factor!

Jul 12, 2014 6:07:12 GMT -8 kilg0retr0ut said:

Remember the first cell phones (the ones in the big black bag), about the size of a shoe box. This is a great first step, pun intended.

I know what you mean kilg0retr0ut and that's what I've said. I'll only take this over a power chair whenever it becomes compact and practical.

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First Patient Takes Exoskeleton Home!

Post by Lαrα on Jul 8, 2014 23:04:00 GMT -8

Post by Butiki on Jul 8, 2014 23:40:25 GMT -8

Post by petelanddownunder on Jul 9, 2014 3:56:37 GMT -8

Post by truwrecks on Jul 9, 2014 6:32:14 GMT -8

Post by Butiki on Jul 9, 2014 12:59:24 GMT -8

Post by DJ on Jul 9, 2014 15:00:29 GMT -8

Post by dlevy on Jul 9, 2014 16:41:53 GMT -8

Post by Lαrα on Jul 9, 2014 20:21:37 GMT -8

Post by DJ on Jul 10, 2014 3:02:09 GMT -8

Post by Lαrα on Jul 12, 2014 2:48:51 GMT -8

Post by DJ on Jul 12, 2014 5:21:58 GMT -8

Post by Lαrα on Jul 12, 2014 5:37:34 GMT -8

Post by kilg0retr0ut on Jul 12, 2014 6:07:12 GMT -8

Post by Lαrα on Jul 12, 2014 6:20:40 GMT -8

Post by DJ on Jul 12, 2014 12:00:51 GMT -8

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