Exoskeletons are not science fiction. People wearing robot arms and legs are common in sci-fi movies, but they are now real. The military and industry applications are designed to let people carry more, travel farther and faster, and generally surpass normal human abilities. The same technology can also help disabled people regain lost abilities. Instead of using low-tech, though enabling, things like wheelchairs, people can now buy exo-suits that let them walk around town effectively getting around barriers that would stop wheelchairs. Like any new technology, it is limited and expensive at the start. The ReWalk suit costs $77,000, which isn’t cheap – until it is compared to conventional medical treatments. It can also be worth it if the device enables a person to live a more normal life and have a more normal career. The integration of human and machine continues.
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“The Exoskeleton’s Hidden Burden” – The Atlantic
