New Zealand paralympian buys first Rex Bionics exoskeleton, takes robot walking legs for a spin

Surely we weren’t the only ones to wonder aloud who would be the first come up with $150,000 for a Rex Bionics robotic exoskeleton when the Auckland-based company introduced it last summer. Of course, no price seems too high for the ability to walk again, but that’s still a lot scratch to get together — and the space has been getting a lot more competitive as of late. The honor went to fellow Kiwi Dave MacCalman, a multiple medal-winning paralympian, who lost the use of his legs after sustaining a spinal cord injury while diving into a river. The 6-foot, 4-inch athlete took his first steps in over 30 years with the use of his newly-purchased robot legs — and from the look on his face, he definitely got his New Zealand dollar’s worth. If you need a quick refresher on exactly what this thing can do, check out the video after the break. Continue reading New Zealand paralympian buys first Rex Bionics exoskeleton, takes robot walking legs for a spin New Zealand paralympian buys first Rex Bionics exoskeleton, takes robot walking legs for a spin originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 May 2011 11:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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