On Dec. 14, 2007, Mr. Woo was paralyzed after an accident at a construction site at Goldman Sachs headquarters on West Street. Mr. Woo, an architect on the project, was struck as seven tons of metal studs, hoisted by a crane, crushed the trailer in which he was working.
The video above shows Mr. Woo has been testing a bionic exoskeleton called Ekso, designed to allow patients in wheelchairs to stand and move while upright. The device is not available for home use, though its manufacturer, Ekso Bionics, expects that it will be by 2013.
The Ekso gear allows for a more rhythmic gait, he explained, though little can prepare first-timers for the initial jolt in their lower body. “It feels like someone’s grabbing you, lunging your legs forward,” said Mr. Cooke, with whom Mr. Woo has developed a friendly competition during their rehabilitation.
As his session neared its end on Thursday, Mr. Woo began to move more quickly. Darrell Musick, clinical director at Ekso Bionics, encouraged him to complete a final “lap,” to a piece of black tape on the floor across the room, and back again. Mr. Woo strode confidently, eyes glued to the wall in front of him, as another therapist trailed him, manning the controls. When he finished, Mr. Woo looked up at Mr. Musick, pleading silently. “All right,” Mr. Musick said. “One more.”
Though Mr. Woo said Thursday that he hoped to buy the device if it reached the market, his attention remained fixed on what he had accomplished during the session. He had walked for 11 minutes, across Mount Sinai’s speckled beige floors. He took 300 steps. He remained standing for a total of 25 minutes.
(Source: New York Times)
