Every year, around the world, between 250,000 and 500,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury according to the World Health Organization, yet up until a few years ago there was no real solution for the millions living with these types of injuries. Fortunately, one Israeli company has managed to find a solution that can actually help those who have suffered spinal cord injuries – ReWalk.
The company created an exoskeleton walking device, which was approved for home and communal use by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States this past June, and will hopefully enable wheelchair-bound individuals to move freely and experience what it feels like to walk again. The company now has two products: the ReWalk Rehabilitation, designed for clinical rehabilitation, and the ReWalk Personal, for personal home and work use.
Check out this Boston Globe clip..
How does ReWalk work? It works based off of computers and motion sensors to mimic natural movement, and at this stage is designed for users with certain upper and lower leg lengths. These lengths can be measured during evaluation, however they generally correspond to people that are between 5’3” and 6’3” (160-190cm) inches tall, with other factors being taken into consideration.
Financially, ReWalk is going to be just fine – since the IPO, shares are up more than 200% – so let’s hope sales increase and the price for owning a suit slowly decreases from the $69,500 price.
