FDA Clearance for Exoskeleton Used on Stairs and Kerbs

Photo credit: ReWalk Robotics

An exciting next step in exoskeleton technology has been realised, with regulatory clearance granted in the United States to the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton for use beyond flat surfaces.

Medical device company, ReWalk Robotics this month received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use of the innovative technology on stairs and kerbs in the United States.

The ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton enables people with spinal cord injury who have been partially paralysed greater freedom and access to everyday activities and environments, from walking up the front steps of a home to stepping off a streetside kerb at traffic lights.

Although the feature has been available in Europe since the technology was granted its CE mark in 2012, this is the first personal exoskeleton of these specifications to receive a greenlight from the FDA.

CEO of ReWalk Robotics, Larry Jasinski said the milestone represented an important phase in growing the possibilities for users of exoskeleton technology.

“Our mission at ReWalk has been to achieve widespread access to the health benefits of walking in everyday life for individuals with spinal cord injury,” said Jasinski in a press statement.

“[This] announcement demonstrates our commitment from a technical perspective to improve access to a broader range of activities of daily living such as walking up the steps to visit a friend’s home or stepping over a curb during a neighborhood walk.”

Read the full statement from ReWalk for further information.