ReWalk

ReWalk is a commercial bionic walking assistance system that uses powered leg attachments to enable paraplegics to stand upright, walk and climb stairs.[1][2] 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.[3] Designed in Yokneam, Israel, by Amit Goffer,[4] the ReWalk is marketed by ReWalk Robotics Ltd (originally Argo Medical Technologies Ltd), and is priced at approximately US$85,000 per unit.[5]

ReWalk
ManufacturerReWalk Robotics
Year of creation2011 (FDA approval)
TypePowered exoskeleton
PurposeMedical
Websitewww.rewalk.com
ReWalk Robotics Ltd
Nasdaq: RWLK
Russell Microcap Index component

The device underwent clinical trials at MossRehab[6] in suburban Philadelphia.[7] 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 stock exchange under the symbol "RWLK".[8]

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.[9]

Operation

The ReWalk system weighs approximately 23.3 kg (51 lb); the backpack containing the system's Windows-operated computer and battery weighs around 2.3 kg (5.1 lb), and the robotic leg attachments weigh around 21 kg (46 lb).[10] 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.[10]

Users

The first clinical trial for The ReWalk was held at MossRehab[11] 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.[3] FDA approval for home and public use was issued in June 2014.[12][13] ReWalk is also the first exoskeleton to receive FDA clearance for personal and rehabilitation use in the United States.[14]

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".[15][16]

On 8 May 2012, paralyzed British woman Claire Lomas became the first person to finish a marathon 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.[17] Later in 2012, Lomas became the first person to take the ReWalk suit home for assistance with everyday tasks,[18] and participated in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympics in her ReWalk.[19]

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.[20][21] This is due to tight regulation laws in Japan that has been in effect for the last decade.[22]

Criticisms

The weight and bulk of the ReWalk exoskeleton is considered to be too much for some users by its creator, Amit Goffer.[4] In addition, with a price of between US$69,500[10] to US$85,000,[5] the system is beyond the reach of many poorer patients, especially because, as of July 2014, health insurance in the United States does not yet cover the ReWalk.[10] 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".[10]

See also

References
  1. "A Human Exoskeleton". Washington Post. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  2. "Paraplegic Support Suits". Trendhunter Magazine. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  3. "'Rewalk' bionic legs get FDA approval" Archived 23 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine. News.com.au. 17 January 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  4. "Bionic exoskeleton could transform the lives of paraplegics". Eureka Magazine. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  5. "ReWalk Robotic Exoskeletons Let Paraplegics Walk Again". Technabob.com. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  6. "ReWalk – MossRehab". mossrehab.com. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  7. "Pa. Hospital 1st In US To Test Walking Device". Associated Press. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  8. "ReWalk Robotics Files for IPO". Wall Street Journal. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  9. "ARGO launches ReWalk Rehabilitation 2.0 system". News-Medical.net. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  10. Strange, Adario (1 July 2014). "FDA Approves First Robotic Exoskeleton for Paralyzed Users". Mashable. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  11. "ReWalk – MossRehab". mossrehab.com. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  12. "FDA allows marketing of first wearable, motorized device that helps people with certain spinal cord injuries to walk". Technabob.com. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  13. "FDA approves Israeli ReWalk robotic exoskeleton technology". Israelbizreg.com. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  14. "ReWalk Robotics - More Than Walking". ReWalk Robotics, Inc. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  15. "Screen grabs: ReWalk helps Glee's Artie Abrams put his best foot forward". Engadget. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  16. "Last Night on 'Glee': Can the ReWalk Cure Paralysis?". Newsweek. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  17. "Paralyzed Claire Lomas finishes London Marathon 16 days after it began". The Guardian. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  18. "'Bionic woman' Claire Lomas is first woman to take robotic suit home". The Independent. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  19. "Claire Lomas lights Paralympic Flame in London". ITV. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  20. "Israeli tech geared at helping paralyzed walk faces barrier in Japan". Haaretz. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  21. "Exoskeleton that helps paralyzed walk faces barrier in Japan". Japan Today. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  22. "Deregulation at heart of Japan's new robotics revolution". Reuters. 19 November 2014.
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