ReWalk is a commercial bionic walking assistance system that uses powered leg attachments to enable paraplegics to stand upright, walk and climb stairs."A Human Exoskeleton"
'' Washington Post''. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2013.The system is powered by a backpack battery, and is controlled by a simple wrist-mounted remote which detects and enhances the user's movements. Designed in Yokneam, Israel, by

Amit Goffer Amit Goffer is an inventor and serial entrepreneur and is regarded as one of the pioneers of the exoskeleton industry. He is the chief technology officer and president of UPnRIDE Robotics Ltd. He received his B.Sc. from Technion-Israel Institute ...

, the ReWalk is marketed by ReWalk Robotics Ltd (originally Argo Medical Technologies Ltd), and is priced at approximately US$85,000 per unit."ReWalk Robotic Exoskeletons Let Paraplegics Walk Again"
Technabob.com. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012. The device underwent clinical trials at MossRehab in suburban Philadelphia."Pa. Hospital 1st In US To Test Walking Device"
Associated Press. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2013. In July 2014, ReWalk Robotics filed for an American initial public offering that could raise up to US$58 million. The company is listed on the

NASDAQ The Nasdaq Stock Market () (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Stock Market) is an American stock exchange based in New York City. It is the most active stock trading venue in the US by volume, and ranked second ...

stock exchange A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for th ...

under the symbol "RWLK"."ReWalk Robotics Files for IPO"
''Wall Street Journal''. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

Versions

At the time of its initial release, ReWalk was available in two versions – the ReWalk I and the ReWalk P. The ReWalk I is used by medical institutions for research or therapy to be used under the supervision of a healthcare professional. The ReWalk P is for personal use by patients at home or in public. An updated version, ReWalk Rehabilitation 2.0, was released in January 2013. The ReWalk 2.0 featured improved sizing for taller individuals and some enhancement in controlling software.

Operation

The ReWalk system weighs approximately ; the backpack containing the system's Windows-operated computer and battery weighs around , and the robotic leg attachments weigh around . The user can engage in three modes: walking, sitting, and standing. The signals to these modes are sent via a wrist-watch type device to the computer.

Users

The first clinical trial for The ReWalk was held at MossRehab located in Philadelphia in 2009. The ReWalk was approved for hospital use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011."'Rewalk' bionic legs get FDA approval"
News.com.au. 17 January 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2012. FDA approval for home and public use was issued in June 2014.
Technabob.com. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012."FDA approves Israeli ReWalk robotic exoskeleton technology"
Israelbizreg.com. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014. In 2010, a prototype ReWalk appeared in the American TV series '' Glee''; the exoskeleton is used by fictional character Artie Abrams during the Season 2 episode "

A Very Glee Christmas "A Very Glee Christmas" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American musical television series '' Glee'', and the thirty-second episode overall. It was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and p ...

". On 8 May 2012, paralyzed British woman Claire Lomas became the first person to finish a

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

using a bionic assistance suit. Lomas, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a 2007 riding accident, completed the London Marathon in 17 days with her ReWalk system. Later in 2012, Lomas became the first person to take the ReWalk suit home for assistance with everyday tasks, and participated in the opening ceremony of the

2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympics, branded as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were an international multi-sport parasports event held from 29 August to 9 September 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. They were the 14th Summer Paralympic Gam ...

in her ReWalk. By 2015, Japanese robotics maker Yaskawa Electric Co. has been distributing ReWalk in Asia, i.e. China, under a deal signed in 2014 with ReWalk Robotics. However, in Japan itself ReWalk faces a long approval process that is typical for Japanese businesses. This is due to tight regulation laws in Japan that has been in effect for the last decade.

Criticisms

The weight and bulk of the ReWalk exoskeleton is considered to be too much for some users by its creator, Amit Goffer. In addition, with a price of between US$69,500 to US$85,000, the system is beyond the reach of many poorer patients, especially because, as of July 2014,

health insurance Health insurance or medical insurance (also known as medical aid in South Africa) is a type of insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a person incurring medical expenses. As with other types of insurance, risk is shared among ma ...

in the United States does not yet cover the ReWalk. Larry Jasinki, the CEO of ReWalk, stated in 2014 that the company is "working with insurers and other health-care coverage providers to ensure individuals eligible to use the ReWalk are able to purchase a system".

References

External links