FDA Approves Exoskeleton Unit That Allows Paraplegics to Walk Again

This has got to be one of the most amazing inventions I have ever seen. I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose the use of my legs but I can imagine the joy after that of standing up and walking again. The invention is called  a ReWalk and it has just been approved by the FDA for personal use in the US. Created by Argo Medical Technologies, their mission is to fundamentally change the health and life experiences of individuals with spinal cord injuries.

According to their webpage: The ReWalk™ is the result of this mission; it is a world-class walking system that will allow paraplegics to bring walking into their daily lives once again. Culminating over a decade of research and development, the ReWalk represents the first truly practical, real world, walking solution for persons with lower limb disabilities.

Argo founder Dr. Amit Goffer was inspired to develop the ReWalk exoskeleton unit because of his own personal story. Dr. Goffer is quadriplegic and he founded Argo in 2001. His goal was to develop a product that would enable persons with spinal cord injuries to walk again. Over the past decade, Argo has grown from a small research and development start-up based in Israel to an international company with headquarters in the US, Germany and Israel.

Argo has been working internationally with leading rehabilitation centers in testing and developing a rehabilitation model of the ReWalk. As a result of these efforts, Argo has been able to develop the ReWalk Personal, the next phase of exoskeleton technology designed exclusively for use in everyday life. Employing Argo's proprietary technology, the ReWalk Personal is designed for everyday use. Launched in 2012, the ReWalk Personal is has been available throughout Europe.