FDA approves Israel-based UPnRIDE's robotic standing wheelchair
The standing wheelchair, a smart and robotic mobility device that provides full functionality in standing and sitting, will soon be available in the US.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFA man is seen getting married while using the UPnRIDE Robotic Standing Wheelchair.(photo credit: ALONI MOR)
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has UPnRIDE's robotic standing wheelchair for marketing and use in the US, the Yokneam-based company announced in a press release.The standing wheelchair, a smart and robotic mobility device that provides full functionality in standing and sitting, will soon be available in the US.The innovative standing wheelchair is usable in nearly any urban environment, and is suitable for most wheelchair users – including paraplegics, quadriplegics, the elderly and those with conditions that limit physical movement.“The approval of our UPnRIDE standing wheelchair is another very important milestone in our mission to offer health benefits and improved quality of life to millions of people suffering from walking impairments," said UPnRIDE founder and president Dr. Amit Goffer, who is a quadriplegic himself following a tragic accident in 1997.Goffer is also the father of the ReWalk wearable robotic exoskeleton, which allows people with spinal injuries to stand and walk upright.“I have had a long-standing vision that all people confined to a wheelchair should have access to enhanced mobility and enjoy the many health benefits associated with the ability to perform everyday tasks in a standing position. With the introduction of UPnRIDE, this dream is becoming a reality.”"Empowered by the FDA approval, UPnRIDE Robotics will now develop a distribution and service center network in the U.S. to enable American users to benefit from this innovative product," said UPnRIDE CEO Oren Tamari."By enabling upright mobility, UPnRIDE delivers numerous health, economic and societal benefits. It reduces the visibility of the disability, providing wheelchair users with a fresh, new perspective on the world, on themselves, and on life.”Goffer is scheduled to speak at the AIPAC Policy Conference on Sunday, March 1 in front of 18,000 people, and with the help of his innovations, he will fulfil the promise he made at AIPAC seven years ago: That he will return on stage walking upright.
