An inspiring video was shared on social media, showing the French Paralympian Kevin Piette carrying the Olympic Torch while wearing a robotic exoskeleton, marking a historic advancement in sports and technology.
Sporting commitment
The French tennis player, Kevin Piette lost the use of his legs following an accident when he was only 11. Thanks to the ground-breaking technologies, he was able to walk again, returning to tennis and becoming an exoskeleton “pilot” for a company developing a robotic walking device.
“In spite of the accident that left him a paraplegic 11 years ago, Kevin has not thrown in the towel,” stated the International Olympic Committee in a blog post, calling Piette “the embodiment of sporting commitment.”
As he carried the Olympic Torch through the streets of Paris, social media users expressed their support for the Paralympian; “I have never seen a happier face!!! So happy for him. You go. God bless technology.”
Another user commented; “This is a big part of what the Olympics is about. Bringing people together, learning about each other, and sharing in victories of all kinds.” The Olympic Committee emphasised the significance of his victory; “By carrying the Olympic Torch, Kevin inspires people to get involved in sport and promote innovation for the disabled.”
The exoskeleton
Piette became one of the first testers of the robotic exoskeleton developed by the French company Wandercraft, which launched the innovation in December. The exoskeleton is a battery-powered device which supports the user´s legs and detects when the user wants to walk or stand through a back sensor.
With the exoskeleton, the user can sit, stand, walk and climb stairs, managing the direction and speed with a hand-held controller. As one of the first users of the exoskeleton, Piette took part in “cybathlons“; competitions in which people with reduced mobility use assistive technologies to carry out everyday activities.
With their development, Wandercaft aims to “represent a significant leap forward in assistive technology.” Piette´s commitment and collaboration with the firm marked the first time an exoskeleton has been used while carrying the Olympic Torch.
Breakthrough in Paralympics
Since their launch in 1960, the Paralympics have seen an immense transformation and improvement in accessibility, diversity and technology. This year, held from August 28 until September 8, the Paralympics will be supported by a mobility equipment specialist Ottobock, who will provide the latest technologies and digitised processes to assist the athletes.
A long-standing partner of the International Paralympic Committee, the Ottobock Technical Repair Service Centre will provide technical service 10 days before the start of the Games. With a team of 164 experts from 41 nations, speaking 32 languages, Ottobock will ensure that the athletes can perform to the best of their abilities.
Ottock will be present to repair, replace or fix any devices of the athletes which may be broken or damaged, such as wheelchairs or prostheses, making sure that they´re in perfect condition in time for the Games.
The Master Orthopaedic Technician at Ottobock, Julian Napp highlighted the efficiency of his team; “Athletes can rely on our team´s creativity, solution-oriented approach and experience, combined with the latest technology.”
