On February 14, Ekso Bionics delivered its first Ekso exoskeleton to the Craig Hospital in Denver. The Ekso is a battery-powered, wearable robot that is designed for paraplegics to help them stand up and walk.
First commercial unit of wearable robot Ekso
Ekso Bionics has also completed an investigational study of the exoskeleton in collaboration with rehabilitation centers. The study involved the process of defining clinical protocols, and learning, training and sharing information.
The Ekso robots will be initially delivered to Ekso Bionics' Charter Rehabilitation Centers over the next couple of months. The exoskeleton is designed to suit people with partial upper body strength, between 5'2" and 6'2" tall and weigh less than 220 lb. The device can be adjusted and fitted in a couple of minutes. It weighs 45 lb. and directly transfers its load to the ground, avoiding any strain on the person. The exoskeleton can be strapped on over the person’s clothes.
The Ekso investigational studies conducted at the Charter Rehabilitation Centers found that 63 of the total 70 subjects covered 81 to 638 steps in their first session. They had earlier cleared the preliminary health screening procedure. Seven of the subjects had bone density, weight and flexibility issues and did not pass the screening procedure. In a single session, the participants were able to walk more than 200 steps. Participants expressed their excitement over their ability to walk with the aid of the Ekso robots.