Jul 15 2010New Zealand Company's REX Bionic Legs
Look down -- what do you see? A Cheeto-dusted penis? Wash your hands after snacking. But for those of you looking at a nonfunctional lower half, there's new hope, all thanks to Rex bionic legs.
After seven years of secret development and and $10 million of investment the high-tech unit was unveiled in Auckland today.
The unit weighs 38kg and is operated by a joystick. It enables a wheelchair user to stand, walk and go up and down steps and slopes. Director Paul Dyson said the technology was unique and he expected sales to go from single digits per month, to dozens each month next year.the anticipated cost of a Rex unit would be US$150,000 abroad and about $150,000 locally.
''I knew deep down one day I'd stand back up. I'll never forget what it was like to see my feet walking under me for the first time I used Rex.''
*sniff* Heartwarming, isn't it? It's almost enough to make me not want to club them out from under the person using them. Almost. THIS IS GONNA HURT ME A LOT MORE THAN IT IS YOU. *thwack!* Oh -- no that definitely hurt you more.
Hit the jump for a five-minute video of the legs doin' their thang.
Company's Official Site
via
Kiwis launch bionic legs [stuff]
Thanks to Sara and Jeff, who agree $150K is a small price to pay to never have to stand on your own two feet again.
Reader Comments
1. poopy - July 15, 2010 1:57 PM
fir
2. abrar - July 15, 2010 1:57 PM
looks pretty evil to me! imagine an army of people with those on!
3. LOL - July 15, 2010 2:00 PM
Now it's only a matter of time before they come out with bionic penises...
Who WOULDN'T want 2 penises?!
4. aaron - July 15, 2010 2:09 PM
4th
5. JFreezy - July 15, 2010 2:11 PM
Wow! It will only take him 3 hours to walk from the couch to the bathroom to take a piss!! Hopefully they will come out with a rocket powered model soon.
6. Richard McBeef - July 15, 2010 2:12 PM
@3 - Those of us that want THREE penises.
7. Richard McBeef - July 15, 2010 2:13 PM
@3 - Those of us that want THREE penises.
8. Richard McBeef - July 15, 2010 2:14 PM
@3 - Those of us that want THREE penises.
9. dingalings! - July 15, 2010 2:16 PM
@6,7,8 there are those of us that want infinity penises
10. TheLepper - July 15, 2010 2:17 PM
Stomp* Stomp* UrghhH!!! you could kill someone with that. lol
11. robocon - July 15, 2010 2:17 PM
@ 9 -- in the booty?
12. dingalings! - July 15, 2010 2:18 PM
@ 11 YES IN THE BOOTIE! PIRATE STYLE!
13. CinemaObsessed.com - July 15, 2010 2:19 PM
He's just struggling to get around in a whole new way.
14. LOL - July 15, 2010 2:21 PM
Good to know that I can come up with some inviting suggestions.
15. Richard McBeef - July 15, 2010 2:30 PM
man i think my comments are spawning clones.
16. blueZorro - July 15, 2010 2:35 PM
@3 why not...OVER 9000!!!
17. name - July 15, 2010 2:42 PM
it looks sort of robocop-ish but, well - FAIL!
18. TheTooz - July 15, 2010 3:11 PM
$150,000 abroad and about $150,000 locally?
19. SAW - July 15, 2010 3:21 PM
Might as well have Asimo carry you around.
20. Richard McBeef - July 15, 2010 3:23 PM
@3 - Those of us that want THREE penises.
21. jamez - July 15, 2010 3:42 PM
wtf's wrong with you trolls!? nobody in a chair gives a flying fuck how slow it is: it mean getting asses up off chairs and walking, slug like or not. technology is advancing all the time...fucking wankers, "derp i want 2 penises, derp ooh omg that looks fail!'' <----fucking wankers.
22. Paty - July 15, 2010 4:12 PM
At 2:53....Looks a bit odd. Like he doesn't need his wheel chair or the incredibly slow and wobbly, "bionic," legs.
23. SAW - July 15, 2010 4:27 PM
I'm just saying, they could do better. This seems like a waste of money.
24. NT121784 - July 15, 2010 4:45 PM
Its a step in the right direction for sure. I must say though, still like the idea of a robotic penis, though, I'd rather have a prehensile tail.
25. Antonio - July 15, 2010 5:30 PM
What is funny is that on the picture, despite all the chaos and mayhem around him he is still smiling.
26. Antonio - July 15, 2010 5:39 PM
He will be better off on a Segway and a custom lift to position him on it. That will give him height and maneuverability.
27. emptyaddy - July 15, 2010 5:40 PM
Classic metal gear rex legs photo superimposed on Terminator Salvation still. The only decent action sequence from that film I might add.
Kudos.
28. Ben - July 15, 2010 6:21 PM
@18 US$150,000 abroad and NZ$150,000 locally, I'm guessing.
29. Manuel - July 15, 2010 7:18 PM
those bionic legs will appear in avatar 2, I believe...
30. Sniper-Viper - July 16, 2010 3:42 AM
Director Paul DYSON?
The end is nigh.
31. Vanesa - July 16, 2010 4:17 AM
Thanks to all the people who study and invent this kind of technology. Next generation would be like terminator robot.
32. The only kiwi here - July 16, 2010 7:59 AM
Why these be $150,000 in the states and and $150,000 here in New Zealand? With the exchange rate we are getting extremely ripped off here
33. Alf - July 16, 2010 9:10 AM
If I had $150000 I would pay some muscle man to carry me around piggyback instead.
34. Bobby - July 16, 2010 10:52 AM
You've heard the saying: Once you go black you need Rex bionic legs.
35. NotaTard - July 16, 2010 2:04 PM
"THIS IS GONNA HURT ME A LOT MORE THAN IT IS YOU. *thwack!* Oh -- no that definitely hurt you more."
Hate to burst your bubble GW but since their already cripple (and we all know cripples spirits are already crushed by their own dead legs) it wouldnt hurt them at all.
36. Snake - July 16, 2010 2:49 PM
Metal..Gear?
37. Lizzard - July 17, 2010 11:50 AM
$150,000 is a tad much for as slow as it goes. It's a tad much for the basic concept alone. Does it have it's own fusion generator powering them? I'd think $150,000 would be enough funding to develop those for $500-$1000.
38. Uncle Eccoli - July 17, 2010 12:11 PM
I'd rather roll than lurch. Let me know when it can walk.
39. shorty - July 19, 2010 10:01 PM
Soon it'll be smaller and more agile. This is great. The medical complications from not being upright at all are hugely expensive, especially for the VA. This type of therapy should be embraced by the VA and money put into improving them even more. Damn science, you awesome!!
40. Marine1 - July 20, 2010 3:47 PM
Check out Geekologie post #2 on April 4, 2006 and tell me if we're not going in circles here or is this still the japanese technology delay effect.
41. Mancuso - July 21, 2010 3:57 AM
Nice...ish, I guess?
It would really help if the guy spoke English.
This way, all I saw was painstaking slowness + awh wh'eud euhf hg'oob whopp smooze a' houp.
42. arun agrawal - July 31, 2010 2:24 AM
its very nice 4 this kind of people but its very slow and expensive
43. susan Suzer - August 2, 2010 6:29 PM
My son Billy got paralized when he was 5,he is now 28. This sounds so amazing to us let us know more.
Thank you
44. MiKelly - August 3, 2010 3:35 PM
I'm a 45 year old man who suffers from FSH Muscular Dystrophy . . . I love this thing . . . I wish I could afford one . . . Keep up the good work . . . make them lighter, faster and cheaper . . . over and out.
45. Ernesto - September 28, 2010 12:05 AM
You guys are really immature. This is a great product for people who have been waiting for something like this to walk again. This is amazing and it doesn't matter what the thing looks like, these people are going to be happy to walk AGAIN! Thank God.
46. NyaHHH - January 24, 2011 1:47 AM
Y amma ninGahh WAzzriaHH
47. Zac Sudmersen - February 26, 2011 4:15 PM
Hi there my name is Zac Sudmersen from Tauranga I got put in a wheelchair back in december 2008 and Im 29 now seeing this makes me all tingly inside I just a bit pissed off with the price I mean how is one supposed to get that kind of cash? could I get 1 and pay it off weekly for the next 3 centuries its so not fair I mean how on earth could I possibly get one??
48. sukumar - March 14, 2011 7:22 AM
good job go on improving this technology