Exoskeleton: A paralyzed man just broke a marathon world record
File this away in the “People Are Amazing” category.
Adam Gorlitsky was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident in 2005. He had a severe spinal cord injury. However, that didn’t stop him from completing a marathon. He completed the Charleston Marathon in 33 hours, 50 minutes, and 23 seconds, claiming a new world record for his time in finishing a marathon wearing the ReWalk Robotic Exoskeleton, the first FDA approved exoskeleton for rehabilitation in the United States. It provides powered hip and knee motion, and can even allow wearers to tackle stairs.
“When I’m standing and walking in my ReWalk exoskeleton, I do not feel disabled,” Gorlitsky stated. “Nor do I feel able-bodied. Instead, I feel re-enabled. I feel empowered. I’m free to take on the world.”
If you live in the U.S. you might be able to see this technology in motion. Gorlitsky is now walking one million steps in road races across the U.S. on a “One Million Steps Tour.”
