ReWalk helps disabled find their feet

A revolutionary exoskeleton that allows paraplegics to stand and walk up stairs is going on sale in the UK next year.

The pioneering bionic device, called ReWalk, is the brainchild of Amit Goffer, founder of hi-tech company Argo Medical Technologies.

The system, which requires crutches to help with balance, consists of motorised leg supports, body sensors and a backpack containing a computerised control box and rechargeable batteries.

The user picks a setting with a remote-control wristband – stand, sit, walk, descend or climb – and then leans forward, activating sensors and setting the robotic legs in motion.

“ReWalk, the first commercially available upright walking technology, enables wheelchair users with lower-limb disabilities to stand, walk, and even climb stairs,” the company says.

“For potentially hundreds of thousands of wheelchair users, ReWalk delivers a new perspective – on the world, on themselves, and on life.”

With an ageing population fast becoming a reality for Australia, tech companies have an opportunity to cater for the elderly in addition to those who are disabled, in a similar vein to Argo.