Paraplegic for 20 years for a skiing accident, starts walking legs with “robotic”

We could call it the “Bionic Woman” Amanda Boxtel The paraplegic that he could resume walk thanks to two legs “robotic” built especially for her with a technology advanced. The history of this 43-year old blonde and solar is truly unique and beautiful to tell, because it offers hope to those who have lost the use of arts. In the case of Amanda, sporty Australian girl, life hangs (literally) on February 27, 1992, when a bad skiing accident gives her a spinal cord injury that leaves no escape: paralysis.

So the girl is forced to use the pram to move, but does not give up his status as a paraplegic. The all to walk again, even a transplant of stem cells in India, but to give her back the use of his legs was, however, a bionic device in steel and carbon fiber, the ‘exoskeleton, Also called “elegs”, developed by specialists at the University of California at Berkeley, was originally designed for military use.

Amanda Boxtel was the first “civilian” paraplegic to be called to test the elegs, in 2010, and this was his enthusiastic statement: “For 18 years I had been stopped on my wheelchair and I was skeptical. Then I put my heels on the floor, I shifted my weight forward, a step at a time. The first time I walked up. ”

The success of the exoskeleton Amanda has pushed for the marketing of prototype, Even if only for the American market. Course was chosen as the face Boxtel, who now arrived in Europe to present this extraordinary Bionic Instrument the International Exhibition in London.

The exoskeleton consists of a backpack with batteries and Lithium-ion, from “Bones” synthetic steel and carbon that are applied to legs and that are equipped with sensors for movement, and two crutches. With this equipment, however, very light and not bulky, also a paraplegic person can experience the motion on its own feet. It is a technological miracle that hopefully will soon be made to as many people as possible affected by paralysis.

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