Rex Robotic Legs for Wheelchair Users

posted on Jul 15 by amelia in the Disability News, Health, Spinal Cord Injury, Technology, Wheelchair Technology category

rex-robotic-wheelchair-legs

A new set of robotic legs have appeared on the market called the Rex Robotic Legs Exoskeleton or REX for short.  Hayden Allen has been in a wheelchair since a car accident damaged his spinal cord, and he has been developing this robotic device that he hopes will do away with wheelchairs in most cases.

The health and maneuverability benefits of these new legs for wheelchair users are seemingly limitless. Already since using the robotic legs in place of his wheelchair, he has experienced less bladder infections due to being able to stand and walk around.  The robotic legs have also helped his own legs keep their muscle tone and circulation.

You can sit, walk, stand for long periods, and even walk up stairs with these legs for wheelchair users. It’s operated using a joystick and control pad and is simple for handicapped users to self-transfer in and out of.

The legs will cost around $150,000 with the launch happening this fall in New Zealand where the device is built, and international launch will follow in 2011. It’s a bit pricey for now, yet one has to question what the price of walking is worth at the same time.

Check out the legs in the videos below:

4 Comments

nursing schools, posted this comment on Jul 22nd, 2010

Great information! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!

Barbara Clark, posted this comment on Aug 5th, 2010

THESE ARE ALL GOOD IDEAS AND PRODUCTS BUT WHO HAS THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS STUFF.??? MOST OF THE DISABLED COMMUNITY LIVES ON SOCIAL SEC. DIS. THEY GONNA PAY FOR IT I DOUBT IT.

morenacnoyes, posted this comment on Aug 5th, 2010

What is the price of walking worth? Of course, priceless. However, let’s be real, most disable people do not have that kind of money not matter how much they want to walk, it is not going to happen for them. So, I think it is kind of “cruel” to ask them to consider what is the price of walking worth. Instead, the questions should be How can this device be made available to the disabled community at an affordable price? Affordable according to SSI standards.

amelia, posted this comment on Aug 6th, 2010

You know what morenacnoyes and Barbara, you’re absolutely right. I didn’t think that statement all the way through when I wrote it, and I apologize. I meant it in that the value of the money is nowhere near the value of walking, but I agree that the price is outlandishly unaffordable to 98% of people.

There is another set of robotic legs called ReWalk that seems very promising and appear much faster than these that has been developed, but I am not sure of what the price will be. There are a lot of videos featuring them on their website: http://www.argomedtec.com/

Hopefully competition and a larger distribution base will bring down the costs over time as it does for most technology.

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