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

DJ Moody is Oklahoma’s premier party DJ and entertainer.  With over 10 years under his belt, this Sand Springs native has rocked crowds from Miami to all over the Midwest with his signature style of blending all genres to ignite a dancefloor.

Moody is known for his ability to mash up different styles of music both live and on his signature cd releases.  His mix cds “Breakdown” and “Frequency” were both heralded in the Tulsa World.

He has played with the most notable bands in the Tulsa music scene and beyond both in a scratching capacity and playing in between their sets.  Local artists P.D.A., Citizen Mundi, Eye Candy Burlesque, Rewake, and more have enlisted his services over the past few years.

Moody has played practically every type of venue and gig imaginable.  The list includes charity events, car shows, club events, festivals, weddings, fashion shows, skateboard demos, private events, and the list goes on and on.  His diversity has commanded attention from crowds 6 to 60.

Moody has played with a who’s who of bands and DJs including Bassnectar, Ghostland Observatory, Citizen Cope, Mix Master Mike, DJ Z-Trip, DJ Q-Bert, Lyrics Born, Atmosphere, AK1200, DJ P, Sage Francis, Sole, Murs, DJ Frankie Bones, John Rueben, Josh Martinez, Eyedea and Abilities, Brother Ali, K-Otix, The Visionaries, DJ Rhettmatic, Rob Swift, Nappy Roots, Grandwizzard Theodore, Steve Dee and more.

Check out Moody at venues all around Tulsa and beyond and make sure to get ahold of his limited cd releases.  Most recently Moody was crowned Absolute Best DJ for 2008 in Urban Tulsa.  twitter.com/dj_moody.

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. 
 