How was it?

A robotic exoskeleton has helped a paralyzed athlete walk again. In a post about X that has gone viral with more than 11 million views, he can be seen carrying the torch in a public procession past a crowd of onlookers.

As explained on the Olympics website, Piette was paralyzed for 11 years after the accident. But he continued to play tennis and became the face of Wandercraft, the company that made the exoskeleton he wore in the Olympics.

The opening ceremony of the XXXIII Olympic Games will be held in Paris, France, on July 26. It will be broadcast live At 21:30 Kyiv timeIt is interesting that for the first time the celebrations were held outside the stadium, on the Seine River in the centre of Paris.

Maybe we’ll see Piette in exoskeleton again. For now, we recommend watching a video showing the promising device in action:

What we know about Wandercraft exoskeletons

French company Piette is seen in photos and videos on Instagram wearing an exoskeleton that “enables patients with severe walking impairments, including upper limb dysfunction or cognitive issues, to stand up and walk without the assistance of hands,” according to Wandercraft’s advertisement.

These self-balancing exoskeletons are battery-powered and offer personalized support for the legs and torso of people who have lost the ability to walk due to medical conditions ranging from stroke to paralysis. The devices also Sensors that can detect when users want to standIt reads the movements of the upper body using specially developed algorithms.

Wandercraft exoskeleton trailer featuring Kevin Piette: video

In early 2023, Wandercraft exoskeletons were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for stroke rehabilitation, but it is not known whether at least one device has been used there.

Around 20 robotic exoskeletons have been placed in hospitals in France to help patients walk again. $176,000 each.