A mind-activated robotic suit will debut at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and it will be worn by a paraplegic individual who, with its help, will kick a ball during the opening ceremony.
A mind-activated robotic suit will debut at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and it will be worn by a paraplegic individual who, with its help, will kick a ball during the opening ceremony.
Exactly which of the 9 candidates that will be remains unknown, but the one chosen for the event will be the first to publicly display the new technology.
The suit itself consists of several parts including a hydraulic exoskeleton, a cap studded with electrodes, and a processor.
Combined, the suit not only enables movement, but also tricks the wearer to feel the experience.
When the user places his or her feet on the ground, sensors on the bottom of the foot piece pick up the sensation and sends a vibrating message to a device sewn into their shirt that through the electrodes and wires results in their brain believing the feeling came from their foot.
Said one of the testers, "I feel like I'm walking on the beach, that I'm touching the sand."
Getting the technology to the World Cup is impressive, but far from the creator’s ultimate goal.
His plan is to ultimately make wheelchairs something people only see in museum displays.
