Ekso bionic suit helped Irish jockey Jonjo Bright, who was paralyzed after a riding accident, walk again.
According to Ireland's Belfast Telegraph, Bright has been paralyzed from the neck down since a riding accident in March 2013, leaving him with a feeling that he could never walk again as it was quiet a high level injury but then he donned a bionic suit from Ekso Bionics and joined the increasing ranks of those benefiting from today's machine-aided mobility devices, CNet reported.
The suit has three levels of operation to assist mobility-challenged individuals. In one, a physical therapist actuates each step by pushing a button. In the second, the patient controls the button and makes each step happen on his or her own. In another, the robotic assistance of the suit is actuated when the user shifts weight no buttons needed.
The 20-year-old said it felt very natural and great, not robotic like people would think.
One of the unexpected benefits of the suit for Bright was that he didn't get the lightheadedness that often comes when he is put in an upright position, as the mechanized suit helped raise, lower, and support him.