4 ms·

I have a friend who would basically get his life back if he could use something like this to allow him to walk normally. I'm all for superhuman enhancements, a

I have a friend who would basically get his life back if he could use something like this to allow him to walk normally. I'm all for superhuman enhancements, and I know that defence leads research in many areas, but I can't help feeling a bit disappointed that my friend will likely never have access to anything like this.

maxerickson 9y ago
Do you think affordability will be a blocker? I'd expect such assistive devices to hit the medical market pretty much instantly once they are practical in terms of things like weight, cost and run time.
- mkane848 9y ago
  I wonder how many parts could be 3D printed in a civilian/mass-market version to help with price? Obviously the army doesn't want to compromise anywhere in terms of durability considering the conditions they're working in.
  - nradov 9y ago
    3D printing doesn't help much to reduce prices for mass market manufacturing. And the materials that can be used in most 3D printers still aren't strong enough for applications like this. Milling, casting, and forging can generally produce stronger, lighter parts.
- Someone 9y ago
  One problem is that you have to make sure that this device tries to rotate your knee around the same axis as your knee does, probably more so when used on people who already have weaker knees. Because of that, I expect that fitting this to a body is a lengthy and, hence, fairly costly affair.
  - thesuitonym 9y ago
    Telescopic arms and IR sensors feeding to the AI could potentially center the joins within a few steps without any human intervention.
rtkwe 9y ago
Making it affordable is hard but there are already companies out there that are designing the same thing for the medical device market.
melling 9y ago
I didn't see any price. I give up, why won't you eventually be able to buy one? With an aging society, I'd bet someone makes a cheaper commercial one.
- bsder 9y ago
  This is coming. It's more likely to get to the medical help first, though. A 100 lb nurse needs a bit of assist to move a 300 lb patient out of bed.
  - nradov 9y ago
    Back injuries are terribly common among nurses and orderlies. Due to the increasing number of obese and immobile patients, hospitals are starting to use small cranes to lift them out of bed.
  - sleepydog 9y ago
    I can see it getting a lot of use in physical therapy before making it to consumers.
zdean 9y ago
I wouldn't give up on it. I remember a few years ago the stories of people 3d printing prosthetic hands for $50...where the cost had previously been $30k+. I imagine that some ingenuity and determination could do the same here. https://3dprint.com/2438/50-prosthetic-3d-printed-hand/ https://3dprint.com/2438/50-prosthetic-3d-printed-hand/ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244608 https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244608
ipsin 9y ago
I think that's the idea behind http://www.cybathlon.ethz.ch/the-disciplines/powered-exoskeleton-race.html http://www.cybathlon.ethz.ch/the-disciplines/powered-exoskel... It's really heartening to see what's becoming possible for those with disabilities, but as other commenters say, the next challenge is making good solutions available.
j_s 9y ago
A vaguely similar device is in testing at Lowes. https://newsroom.lowes.com/fresh-thinking/new-suit-empowering-employees/ https://newsroom.lowes.com/fresh-thinking/new-suit-empowerin...
manmeet 9y ago
My startup is building exoskeleton to help the disabled walk. Our aim is to make a much cheaper exoskeleton ($10k). But we are starting by building exoskeletons for children. Check out trexorobotics.com
- prawn 9y ago
  Good luck with such a meaningful problem. I can only imagine what help in this space would mean for these children and their parents.

maxerickson 9y ago

Do you think affordability will be a blocker? I'd expect such assistive devices to hit the medical market pretty much instantly once they are practical in terms of things like weight, cost and run time.

mkane848 9y ago
I wonder how many parts could be 3D printed in a civilian/mass-market version to help with price? Obviously the army doesn't want to compromise anywhere in terms of durability considering the conditions they're working in.
- nradov 9y ago
  3D printing doesn't help much to reduce prices for mass market manufacturing. And the materials that can be used in most 3D printers still aren't strong enough for applications like this. Milling, casting, and forging can generally produce stronger, lighter parts.
Someone 9y ago
One problem is that you have to make sure that this device tries to rotate your knee around the same axis as your knee does, probably more so when used on people who already have weaker knees. Because of that, I expect that fitting this to a body is a lengthy and, hence, fairly costly affair.
- thesuitonym 9y ago
  Telescopic arms and IR sensors feeding to the AI could potentially center the joins within a few steps without any human intervention.

rtkwe 9y ago

Making it affordable is hard but there are already companies out there that are designing the same thing for the medical device market.

melling 9y ago

I didn't see any price. I give up, why won't you eventually be able to buy one? With an aging society, I'd bet someone makes a cheaper commercial one.

bsder 9y ago
This is coming. It's more likely to get to the medical help first, though. A 100 lb nurse needs a bit of assist to move a 300 lb patient out of bed.
- nradov 9y ago
  Back injuries are terribly common among nurses and orderlies. Due to the increasing number of obese and immobile patients, hospitals are starting to use small cranes to lift them out of bed.
- sleepydog 9y ago
  I can see it getting a lot of use in physical therapy before making it to consumers.

zdean 9y ago

I wouldn't give up on it. I remember a few years ago the stories of people 3d printing prosthetic hands for $50...where the cost had previously been $30k+. I imagine that some ingenuity and determination could do the same here. https://3dprint.com/2438/50-prosthetic-3d-printed-hand/ https://3dprint.com/2438/50-prosthetic-3d-printed-hand/ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244608 https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244608

ipsin 9y ago

I think that's the idea behind http://www.cybathlon.ethz.ch/the-disciplines/powered-exoskeleton-race.html http://www.cybathlon.ethz.ch/the-disciplines/powered-exoskel... It's really heartening to see what's becoming possible for those with disabilities, but as other commenters say, the next challenge is making good solutions available.

j_s 9y ago

A vaguely similar device is in testing at Lowes. https://newsroom.lowes.com/fresh-thinking/new-suit-empowering-employees/ https://newsroom.lowes.com/fresh-thinking/new-suit-empowerin...

manmeet 9y ago

My startup is building exoskeleton to help the disabled walk. Our aim is to make a much cheaper exoskeleton ($10k). But we are starting by building exoskeletons for children. Check out trexorobotics.com

prawn 9y ago
Good luck with such a meaningful problem. I can only imagine what help in this space would mean for these children and their parents.