Bertrand de Gabriac, 72, was vacationing in Long Island, NY in July when he started having lower back pain. A few days later, he couldn't walk. He and his wife quickly flew home to Santa Barbara, where Cottage Hospital diagnosed de Gabriac with an autoimmune disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome. His body's immune system was attacking his nervous system.

He began taking antibiotics and getting better. But, he needed to learn how to walk again.

At Cottage Rehabilitation Center, he began using a robotic device called the Ekso, a skeletal suit that hooks to a patient’s body and supports them as they walk. The developer, Ekso Bionics, began selling the product to hospitals after receiving FDA clearance in April. Currently, only eight hospitals in the state of California have one. The price tag is $150,000.

KCRW’s Larry Perel visited de Gabriac to see the Ekso in action.

New robot helps patients learn to walk again

Los Angeles-based public radio station KCRW is one of the most respected and progressive radio stations in the world, featuring an eclectic mix of independent music, NPR news, talk and arts programming. 
 