People who have been paralysed will have free access to robotic rehabilitation thanks to a new programme at an Irish university.
People with reduced mobility due to paralysis, through spinal cord injuries, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease, will have access to the Ekso Bionics Exoskeleton, which allows participants to complete sessions of supported walking, as the robotic device helps them move their limbs again.
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The exoskeleton programme was officially launched on Wednesday at Dublin City University's campus in Glasnevin.
Adventurer Mark Pollock, who is blind and who also became paralysed after an accident, is collaborating with DCU on the project.
Mr Pollock, originally from Hollywood in Co. Down, yesterday demonstrated the use of exoskeleton.
He said: 'Finding a cure for paralysis is a human crisis requiring people to work together across geographical, organisational and intellectual boundaries.'
In 1998, Mr Pollock, at the age of 22, went completely blind. From an early age he had problems with the retinas in both eyes, leading him to lose sight in his right eye at just five years of age.
However, he didn't let that hold him back, and went on to compete in ultra-endurance races across deserts, mountains, and the polar ice caps. He became the first blind person to race to the South Pole.
In 2010, he sustained a fall from a second-storey window which nearly killed him.
Mr Pollock broke his back and the subsequent damage to his spinal cord left him paralysed.
Since the fall, his goal has been to explore to cure paralysis which eventually led him to the exoskeleton programme.
The exoskeleton was developed by US company Ekso Bionics, which worked with Mr Pollock to test components for the next-generation device. He has been working extensively with the company, taking more than 1.5 million steps in the device.
The DCU exoskeleton programme will be led by neurorehabilitation physiotherapist Ronan Langan.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Lanagan said it was his privilege to lead this programme which aims to 'break new ground in the field of neurological rehabilitation'.
Participants can access the expertise of the clinical team and the technology to improve their walking and help them to get back on their feet.
Mr Pollock said: 'I am excited to collaborate with Dublin City University and Ekso Bionics to launch our pioneering programme which is now allowing more people access to cutting edge exoskeleton technology that I have benefited from for the last few years.' DCU is predicting that robotic applications such as the exoskeleton will be commonplace for individuals affected by paralysis in the future.