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Engineer develops low cost exoskeleton inspired by a friend

Shared by Ana Duarte on 2017-04-27 13:55

About the solution

“My friend had a car accident and his female companion was severely injured, so I thought I could do something to help my friend's friend get up and stand”, he explained.     

Freddy, who holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, designed a robotic exoskeleton that enables patients with physical disabilities, and with severe spinal cord injuries to carry out everyday activities such as standing up and walking.

"Many disabled people can't use exoskeletons because these are designed to be used by people with specific injuries," the inventor said.

With that problem in mind, Freddy came up with an exoskeleton efficient and low-cost that is accessible to people with different injuries.

When the user sits down, the device transforms into a wheelchair without the use of muscle movement.

Freddy has developed five prototype exoskeletons. The first prototypes he developed were made from recycled waste materials (aluminum, garden hoses, syringes).

The inventor, who created his own company, hopes that commercial robotic exoskeleton will hit the market in 2017 at one-tenth the cost of similar models.

"I didn't make any income when I started my business, so I had to sacrifice my free time in order to make extra money on the side. Things were not easy at first, but fortunately, Ruta N, a leading business incubator based in Medellín, helped me patent my invention”, the engineer said.

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2oPe7cG
https://youtu.be/7NZstt6o4IQ

This solution shall not include mention to the use of drugs, chemicals or biologicals (including food); invasive devices; offensive, commercial or inherently dangerous content. This solution was not medically validated. Proceed with caution! If you have any doubts, please consult with a health professional.

DISCLAIMER: This story was written by someone who is not the author of the solution, therefore please be advised that, although it was written with the utmost respect for the innovation and the innovator, there can be some incorrect statements. If you find any errors please contact the patient Innovation team via info@patient-innovation.com

About the author

Freddy Luna, from Colombia, started creating, in 2011, a robotic exoskeleton suit to allow disabled people to stand upright and walk. Freddy developed this product after a friend asked him to build a device that would allow a disabled teacher to deliver classes standing up, and also because a friend of his had an accident.

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