There are tantalising signs that as well as aiding rehabilitation, devices could soon help humans run faster and jump higher
Wearing an 80,000 exoskeleton, Sophie Morgan is half woman, half robot.
Beneath her feet are two metal plates, and at her hand a digital display, a joystick and, somewhat alarmingly, a bright red emergency button.
As she pushes the joystick forward, the bionic legs take their first steps a loud, industrial whirring strikes up and her right foot is raised, extended and placed forward. Her left slowly follows. As she looks up, a smile spreads across her face.
Exoskeletons, touted as devices that will allow the injured to walk, elderly people to remain independent for longer, the military to get more from soldiers and even turn all of us into mechanically enhanced humans, have captured the imagination of researchers across the world, from startups to Nasa.
For now, the most obvious and tangible application has involved allowing paralysed people to stand and walk. It was a mixture of surrealism and just absolute, just the most exhilarating feeling, says Morgan, describing her first experience of the technology four years ago.
Now 31, the artist, model and presenter of Channel 4s 2016 Paralympic coverage was paralysed in a car accident aged 18 and has used a wheelchair ever since. The idea to try the exoskeleton, she says, came from the BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, who uses a wheelchair after being shot while reporting from Saudi Arabia.
The exoskeleton, from Rex Bionics, offered a life-changing experience, according to Morgan. It had been 10 years, give or take, since I had properly stood, so that was in itself quite overwhelming, she says. The impact was far reaching. It is not just about the joy of Oh, I am standing. It is the difference it makes, the way you feel afterwards, psychologically and physiologically it is immeasurable.
Returning to her wheelchair, says Morgan, is a disappointing experience. I am walking in my dreams, so it does blur that line that liminal space between real and dream, and reality and fantasy, she says of the device.
The exoskeleton isnt just about stirring excitement. As Morgan points out, there are myriad health problems associated with sitting for long periods of time. A report co-commissioned by Public Health England and published last year highlighted findings showing that, compared with those up and about the most, individuals who spend the longest time sitting are around twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes and have a 13% higher risk of developing cancer.
Wheelchair users, adds Morgan, also face side-effects, from pressure sores to urinary tract infections. It could be the difference between longevity and not for people like me, she says of the exoskeleton.
The competition
About 40 of the Rex Bionic devices are currently in use worldwide, including in rehabilitation centres, says Richard Little, co-founder of the company. An engineer, Little says he was inspired to develop the system after his best friend and co-founder was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
But there is competition. As Little points out, the development of battery technology, processing power and components has brought a number of exoskeletons on to the market in recent years, including those from the US-based companies ReWalk and Ekso Bionics. [They] offer a whole load of different things which are similar in some ways but different in others, says Little. [Ours] doesnt use crutches, he points out, adding that the innovation removes the risk of users inadvertently damaging their shoulders, and frees their arms.
There are tantalising signs that exoskeletons could do more than just aid rehabilitation or increase the mobility options for those who have experienced a stroke or spinal cord injury.
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