Israel’s Best Invention for 2013
By: Elaine Bloch
Time Magazine had just published the World’s 25 Best Inventions of the Year 2013. Israeli-developed exoskeleton for paraplegics is on the top list, it just made me so proud. Argo Medical technologies manufactures ReWalk, an exoskeleton system that relies on upper-body motion sensors and special software to create natural walking movements. It was invented by Israeli entrepreneur Amit Goffer, who became paralyzed in a 1997 accident.
ReWalk, which costs a whopping amount of 52,500 euros or $68,000-$69,000, would help patients walk, climb stairs, and in some cases return to work. To work, the system requires good upper-body strength and strong bones, as well as 15 training sessions.
Recently, Argo Medical technologies announced partnership with Japanese robotics leader Yaskawa. Yaskawa is to distribute the company’s ReWalk system in Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Korea. The partnership would also allow Argo to distribute a line of Yaskawa products focusing on rehabilitating stroke victims in the Middle East. Yaskawa’s strategic plan entitled Vision 2015, included a goal of further developing robots that assist and coexist with humans. They believe that robotics has the potential to change the world of healthcare and rehabilitation, and ARGO’s know-how in the field will allow them to contribute to quality of life improvements of people around the world.
The world has proven wonderful facts. There is no such thing as impossible; there is no limit as to what the mind could create. The mind is free and so are the paraplegics now. We rejoice to this gift of freedom.