As impressed as we all have been with the government’s plans for strength- and endurance-enhancing exoskeletons, the public reaction has been pretty consistent: what about paralyzed civilians? Although DARPA’s research will almost surely make it into the civilian sector at some point, a Massachusetts company called ReWalk has leap-frogged over the military-to-civilian transition to create the first and only FDA-approved robotic exoskeleton.

The ReWalk is a marvel of engineering and almost a miracle for people who were once told they would never walk again. The exoskeleton allows users to walk indoors or out; to sit, stand, and climb stairs; and to get up from a wheelchair and exercise muscles that might not otherwise ever have the chance to be exercised.

The first ReWalk prototype was developed in 2004 by Dr. Amit Goffer, himself a quadriplegic. He was motivated partially by the realization that modern wheelchairs really haven’t evolved much from the centuries-old designs seen on ancient Chinese vases. We have the technology, so why not put it to use changing people’s lives?

During some of the first ReWalk demonstrations, observers were convinced that the users weren’t paralyzed at all. The exoskeleton allows for such smooth movement that, when it’s being operated by an experienced user, it is almost impossible to tell that the movements are being made by the machine and not by the person wearing it.

The ReWalk consists of two shoes, leg braces, crutches, a wristwatch controller, and a backpack in which the battery is stored. To operate the device, the user sets the watch to “walk” mode and leans forward. Each lean forward signals the machine to take another step. The user has to put in a fair amount of effort using the crutches to support his or her body weight and moving them to advance one step at a time. It’s tiring work, but by all accounts it is extremely rewarding.

In clinical trials and rehab settings, most users have lost body fat and many have gained muscle. Although learning to use the device is hard work, seeing the look on a user’s face when they walk again for the first time is simply incredible. The ReWalk is currently available to purchase in the US and Europe for $69,500 (USD). Admittedly, this is far more expensive than even than even the most tricked-out electric wheelchair. But there really is no way to put a price on the freedom of being able to walk on one’s own.

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Spinal cord injuries which cause total paralysis below the site of the injury are currently irreversible. If you are unable to move your legs on your own for two years, you are considered paralyzed for life. A new study at the University of Louisville has shocked the medical community by showing that, with electrical stimulation to the spine and intensive physical therapy, paraplegics can regain the ability to move their lower extremities.

The breakthrough actually began in 2011, when the technique worked on a single patient. But of course, scientific minds aren’t foolish enough to take one case as a show of success. The young man who underwent the therapy in 2011 was in great physical shape prior to his paralysis. The more recent study involved four men of varying ages with varying degrees of sensory loss.

The four men who participated in the study each received an implant just outside of their spinal cords. Each implant contains 16 electrodes and is similar to implants already on the market for chronic pain relief. With the implants turned on, the research subjects were able to move their paralyzed appendages on their own. They could even move on the first try, without any training on the device.

The implants stimulate nerves in the spinal cord, allowing the brain to send impulses telling the appendages to move. The researchers aren’t entirely clear on which nerve pathways are stimulated, but further research will uncover that knowledge. Also on the schedule for continuing research: specialized implants, drug regimens, and plenty more clinical trials. But for now, the promise of this medical technology is enough to give us hope that paraplegia doesn’t have to be a permanent condition.

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The Walk Again Project is an multi-national effort that does neurological research to help paralysis victims walk again. In the past, the project has pioneered mind-control research into the field of neuroprosthesis. It hopes to unveil some of its most cutting-edge technology in Brazil at the 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup kickoff ceremony.

Leading the project is Duke University scientist Miguel Nicolesis. He ushered in a new kind of prosthetic technology when he helped create the world’s first mind-controlled arm. It used a chip with ultra-thin tendrils called microwires that picked up electrical impulses given by the brain. This technology allowed researchers to determine neurological algorithms that would indicate patterns related to movement. Years later, it’s being used to create a way that may allow a teenage candidate to perform the ceremonial kickoff at the 2012 World Cup.

The teen would wear an exoskeleton that sends and receives neurological information. It contains braces steadied by gyroscopes and German-made sensors that relay feeling to the wearer. It would be powered by a battery worn by the candidate in a backpack. The ideas from ‘Iron Man’ no longer seem so far-fetched.

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Getting around after a catastrophic spinal cord injury has gotten easier thanks to head-mounted steering systems, but there are plenty of problems inherent in those systems. Researchers at Georgia Tech have figured out a way to make mouth-controlled wheelchair navigation much easier and more effective by mounting the system inside the driver’s mouth.

The intraoral Tongue Drive System consists of a retainer worn on the roof of the mouth and a tongue stud outfitted with a magnet. The retainer has magnetic field sensors at each corner to detect the movement of the magnetized tongue stud and translate the tongue movements through an iPhone app and into movements of the user’s wheelchair.

This unique system could take the place of joystick controls and the simple sip-and-puff design that allows paraplegics to drive by sucking or blowing on a straw. The system is able to learn new commands and is highly sensitive, meaning that paralyzed users can look forward to a higher level of control over their movements than ever before.

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Paralyzed people and amputees could soon stand tall with a Segway-type personal vehicle that would allow them to go anywhere a wheelchair can go. The Chariot is being developed by Exomovere Holdings who hopes that the vehicle would be a direct competitor of scooters and wheelchairs marketed toward elderly, disabled and obese people. More importantly, it’s like a pair of wheeled cybernetic legs that snap on over your own legs, which is pretty rad.

Like a Segway, the Chariot uses directional movements of the user’s body to move it around. In this case, subtle torso and hip movements would tell the Chariot which way the driver wants to go while his hands and arms stay free to do other things.

Exomovere hopes to incorporate a whole slew of other features into the Chariot, like biomedical monitors, environmental sensors and wireless connectivity. The Chariot isn’t being produced for sale yet, but Exomovere is looking for a vehicle company to get on board with the idea and help them refine and market it.

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