Robotic exoskeleton provides help and hope for those unable to walk

DETROIT - A “robotic exoskeleton” may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s real life, and it’s giving hope to people who thought they might never walk again.

Pat Zoma is one of those people. After a stroke left her unable to walk, she thought she wouldn’t be able to stand for the rest of her life. Now, this exoskeleton is giving her confidence and helping her build strength in her limbs.

In addition to providing assistance, the exoskeleton also reminds her brain what it feels like to move around. Zoma’s physical therapists say that this will eventually help her brain relearn to make those movements on its own.

“It teaches the patient how to feel again, how to move the right way,” a Henry Ford Health System rehabilitation services team member told Fox 2 Detroit.

Now Pat believes in the possibility that one day she will walk again under her own power. The exoskeleton might be a machine, but it’s giving real people real hope.