Paralyzed Kevin Piette walks with Olympics 2024 torch while wearing Wandercraft Atalante X exoskeleton

Paraplegic Kevin Piette has walked again while holding the Olympics 2024 torch as an official torchbearer by using the Wandercraft Atalante X exoskeleton. The 36-year-old exoskeleton pilot was involved in an accident 11 years ago that left him paralyzed and unable to use his legs. He had previously worked for Ducati as a motorcycle mechanic. Piette has been working as a Wandercraft exoskeleton pilot since 2020 to help develop assistive technologies for people with limited mobility.

Exoskeletons require powerful miniature motors, high-density battery packs, and AI-powered electronics to help the paralyzed walk stably across varying terrains. Paralleling smartphone development, much of this technology did not exist even five years ago, so the disabled have had to wait for innovations to arrive.

Wandercraft unveiled the exoskeleton earlier this year during its New York keynote announcement after many years of R&D. The exoskeleton allows the paralyzed to walk the city, climb stairs, and sit and stand unassisted. The company was founded in 2012 and had entered the Atalante exoskeleton prototype as a competitor in the 2020 ETH Cybathlon.

The exoskeleton has since received US FDA clearance for stroke and spinal cord rehabilitation. The intended users can change depending on country and clearances, but are currently:
US - Individuals with hemiplegia due to cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and individuals with spinal cord injuries at levels T5 to L5 (SCI).
EU - Motor complete paraplegia, motor incomplete paraplegia, hemiplegia due to cerebrovascular accident or to any other cause of acquired brain injury.

Paralyzed readers living in Paris can sign up to test-walk the Atalante X exoskeleton today. Motorcycle riders should make sure they are wearing an armored motorcycle jacket (like this one on Amazon) or motocross jacket (like this one at Amazon) along with a motorcycle airbag (like this one at Amazon) for better crash protection.