Exoskeletons are transforming lives

Learn more about exoskeletons other than seeing them in movies

An exoskeleton is a wearable, robotic suit that augments one's own strength, endurance, support and mobility. For many, an external power suit isn’t a product — it’s a second chance. Practical applications for an exosuit have been researched for use in military medical and industrial capacities. In the medical field, they have become an especially powerful rehab tool — especially for stroke survivors and victims of spinal paralysis.

Bit of adjustment

“I had a spinal cord injury in Connecticut, where I lived at the time, and where I did my inpatient rehab was about twenty-five minutes from my house. And it just so happened that they had an exoskeleton from ekso bionics. And, you know, two weeks into my inpatient rehab, when your world is crumbling before you and you have this accident at 20 years old and you just don't know what to do. Two months later, I'm in this device that is standing me up and I'm walking, not only walking, but excelling, walking in a natural gait pattern, walking almost to the point of what I was doing before my accident and the smile on your face is just ear to ear. You got your parents in the corner crying tears of joy because they never thought their child would get to this point,” Shane Mosko - Program Development Manager - Ekso Bionics tells Brut.

Unparalleled hope

According to GE, the earliest exoskeleton-like device was invented in Russia in 1890. In the 1960s, the U.S. military began seriously experimenting with power armor. In 2017, the market for wearable exoskeletons was $127.4 million — in 10 years, it is expected to reach $5.4 billion based on data from BIS Research. The lowest market price for a personal exosuit in 2019 was just above $1,000. so many individuals must suits sponsored by an organization or program like Kessler Foundation. Mosko says the future of exoskeletons could radically impact human life.

Brut.