The End of the Wheelchair Monopoly
New Medical Device to Restore Upright Mobility
Using a combination of motors and sensors, ReWalk will enable people
with lower limb disabilities to stand, walk and climb stairs again, says
Dr. Amit Goffer, CEO of Argo Medical Technologies.
Last December, after seven years of confinement to a wheelchair,
Shabtai, was able to take a few steps again. The former athlete who
broke his neck in a car accident was once more mobile thanks to ReWalkÔ,
a product that promises to restore upright mobility for paraplegics,
quadriplegics and others suffering from walking impairments.
``We aim to end the 200-year monopoly of the wheelchair,`` says Dr. Amit
Goffer, the CEO and founder of Argo Medical Technologies, the company
that is developing ReWalkÔ. The device uses a combination of motors and
sensors to enable people with lower limb disabilities to carry out
routine ambulatory functions such as standing, walking and climbing
stairs. ``The device promises to restore the dignity of disabled
persons, enabling them to work and improve their general health and
quality of life, as well as significantly reduce medical and other
related expenses, ``says Goffer.
The product is in the prototype stage but Goffer feels that upon
completion of fund-raising the company could have a product on the
market within 4 years.
Dr. Goffer, an electronics engineer, already has a proven track record
as an entrepreneur. He is the founder of Odin Medical, the developer of
a mini-MRI imaging device which enables brain surgeons to conduct
real-time brain scans in the operating room.
``Before I came up with the idea for both the mini-MRI and ReWalkÔ, I
was puzzled by the question of why each product didn`t already exist as
each meets such an obvious and large need,`` says Goffer.
In the case of ReWalkÔ, the need is reflected in the number of
individuals confined to wheelchairs which in the US alone is about two
million.
The ReWalkÔ is a light, wearable brace support suit which comprises DC
motors at the joints, rechargeable batteries, an array of sensors and a
computer-based control system. ``Similar to the recently-developed
Segway, when the user indicates he or she wants to move in a certain
direction, the sensors recognize this and the user is able to move at
will,``explains Goffer.
``Also, it`s important to point out that because the ReWalkÔ is snugly
fitted on the body and worn underneath the clothing, it also helps the
users avoid the type of visible stigma that a wheelchair user faces,``he
adds.
Unlike other products being developed, the novelty of ReWalkÔ is in the
unique manner in which the user is actively involved in the
walk-restoration and other mobility functions, through the control
processes. Utilizing sophisticated algorithms, upper-body motions are
analyzed and used to trigger and maintain walk (gait) patterns and other
modes of operation (such as transition from sitting to standing),
leaving the hands free for self support and/or other functions.
Goffer is confident that ReWalkÔ will enable many people with
disabilities to enter or return to the workforce. He points out that
this benefit to society, as reflected in the US gross national product
averages $120,000 per year for each working person. ``But of course it`s
more than a dollar and cents issue, ``says Goffer. ``When Shabtai tried
out the prototype there were tears in his eyes and in the eyes of
everyone else present. It was a breathtaking experience to see him able
to physically express himself again.``
Published on http://www.bioisrael.com
Copyright 2003 by BioIsrael Communications Ltd.
All rights reserved
Print this page
close window
|
