So Im not a soccer fan. But Ill be watching the opening kick-off for the World Cup today for one reason - the young man who will be doing it is a paraplegic. Yes you read that right. Paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair, this young man - whose name is being withheld for reasons of privacy - is going to get up, walk, and kick a soccer ball. How? Science! Brazilian neuroscientist Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, of Duke University in North Carolina(!), and an international team have developed the worlds first working robotic exoskeleton suit which when worn can give the user the power to walk again. What even more astounding its controlled telepathically via a special helmet worn by the user. To date Nicolelis team have tested the suit with eight paralyzed individuals - six men and two women - but today will be the first time its been shown off to the public, the whole world really. This technology could revolutionize the lives of hundreds of paralyzed individuals - not to mention put us one step closer to the kind of sci-fi exoskeletal armor seen in media like Iron Man, RoboCop, and Edge of Tomorrow. nbcnews/storyline/world-cup/paraplegic-kick-soccer-world-cup-after-medical-miracle-n129256
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 18:41:51 +0000
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