ReWalk is the first commercially viable upright walking

Walking

Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...

 assistance tool, which enables paraplegics to stand, walk, and climb stairs. Designed in Israel, the ReWalk is marketed by Argo Medical Technologies.

As of December 2010, the device is undergoing clinical trial

Clinical trial

Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...

 testing at MossRehab in suburban Philadelphia. The trials will continue for approximately a year.

Cultural references

ReWalk was used by Artie Abrams

Artie Abrams

Artie Abrams is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Kevin McHale, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Artie was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...

 on the TV series Glee

Glee (TV series)

Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...

during Season 2: Episode 10: "A Very Glee Christmas

A Very Glee Christmas

"A Very Glee Christmas" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 32nd episode overall. It was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and premiered on Fox on December 7, 2010...

".
The ReWalk has two versions, ReWalk "I" for institutions to use for research or for ReWalking therapy. It is designed for use under the supervision of a healthcare professional, like a physical therapist. Many health benefits have been reported for paraplegics who stand erect, and in robotic devices that mechanically move their legs. These benefits and more are expected when a patient is ReWalking. The other version is the ReWalk "P" personal unit. The ReWalk P is intended for personal use by patients at home or in the community. The ReWalk I is now available for sale to rhabs centers in Europe and USA. It is listed with the FDA. The ReWalk P has been submitted to the FDA, and clearance is pending. The ReWalk P is CE marked, and can be sold in Europe when it becomes avaiable, which is expected in 2012. The ReWalk P will not be available for sale in the US until it is cleared by the FDA.
There are several sites in the US that have, and will soon have the ReWalk I. The most updated list can be found on the official ReWalk website: www.rewalk.com.

External links

• US website
• Video: ReWalk exoskeleton helps paraplegics walk Engadget
  Engadget
  Engadget is a multilingual technology blog network with daily coverage of gadgets and consumer electronics. Though on appearance Engadget functions much like a blog and may be defined as such, much of its editorial content takes the form of an online magazine...
  
  
• ReWalk Exoskeleton, Medgadget
• Article on Geekologie
  Geekologie
  Geekologie is a popular geek blog dedicated to the recognition of gadgets and technology. Each article is coupled with humorous commentary about the featured story or item written by the blog's only author. Geekologie was founded on April 2, 2006, and the first post was on April 4, 2006...
  
  
• Wheelchair Network RoboCop Becomes Reality