Paralyzed Frenchman hails 'feat' of walking again with robot exoskeleton

GRENOBLE, FRANCE – The French tetraplegic man who has been able to walk again using a pioneering four-limb robotic system, or exoskeleton, said walking was a major feat for him after being immobile for years. The French scientists behind the system, which was publicly unveiled last week, use a system of sensors implanted near the brain that send signals to the robotic system, moving the patient's legs and arms. Speaking to media on Monday in the French city of Grenoble, the 28-year-old patient, who was identified only by his first name, Thibault, said he had to re-educate to use his brain when he started to try the whole-body exoskeleton. "As I hadn't moved for two years I had to re-learn to use my brain," he said. "At the beginning, walking was very difficult. Now I can stand up for two hours in the exoskeleton and I can do walking cycles for a very long time," he also said.