Yet while the world awaits with excitement for the games to begin, some are equally as eager to see a paraplegic walk, thanks to a revolutionary mechanical suit. This is ground-breaking technology that may have increased the chance for paralyzed victims to be able to experience the feeling of walking again in the future. The idea of developing this futuristic exoskeleton derived from Brazilian neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis. Miguel Nicolelis wanted to show a different side to his country, a side where football is not the only domain Brazil invests in, but where science and humanitarian objectives are equally as important.
Miguel Nicolelis is leading the Walk Again Project and with a team of scientists from various continents, he has worked hard to develop an exoskeleton, which will allow the teen who is paralyzed from the waist down, to walk again. The teen will wear motorized braces which will support the body and maintain him or her upright. Non-invasive electrodes will be attached to the user’s scalp, which will send signals to a computer that will consequently convert thoughts into movements. The suit also incorporates sensors which will monitor touch, force and temperature and deliver feedback to the user in order to make the process seem more natural. The project is the result of a strong collaboration between international universities and scientists who all aim to achieve one thing: technological innovation.