World, Health, Europe

Portable exoskeleton for disabled children unveiled

First ever portable exoskeleton, unveiled in Spain, to help children with disabilities to walk, says hospital

29.11.2017 - Update : 30.11.2017
Portable exoskeleton for disabled children unveiled Jens, a 5 year-old boy diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), walks with a new Marsi Bionics exoskeleton that designed for disabled children at Sant Joan de Deu Hospital in Barcelona on November 29, 2017. ( Lola Bou - Anadolu Agency )

By Senhan Bolelli

MADRID

The first ever portable exoskeleton, which will help children with disabilities to walk, has been unveiled in Barcelona on Wednesday, a hospital said.

The unveiling program took place at Sant Joan de Deu Hospital, where a five-year-old boy wore the exoskeleton, named Marsi Bionics, and walked for the first time.

Natalia Rodriguez, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation supervisor in the hospital, pointed out that having the exoskeleton is a big step to improve life of children with walking problems.

‘’We will try it for one year. Selected children will walk using this exoskeleton three times a week,’’ she said.

According to the statistics, one in every 10,000 children in the world has walking problem due to muscular diseases.

Reporting by Senhan Bolelli; Writing by Seyit Ahmet Aytac

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