Anna Minchin, an accredited exercise physiologist, uses the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) robotic exoskeleton in her clinic to help patients walk. HAL is a wearable, neuro-controlled device designed for therapeutic use, developed over a decade to secure the necessary technology in Australia. It functions by placing electrodes on the limb to monitor muscular activity in real time.

Each morning, Anna prepares HAL by adjusting limb lengths and shoe sizes, inserting battery units, and connecting the iPad. Many of her clients have experienced significant success with HAL. She shares with The Sydney Morning Herald the story of a 35-year-old client with C4/5 quadriplegia who participates in two-hour sessions, including 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill. Anna begins by warming up his abdominal and trunk extensor muscles before attaching the electrodes, and harness, and fitting him into the exoskeleton.

“I really want people with neurological conditions to know that there is technology out there to help them. Especially for those who think that perhaps they don’t have any hope of progressing, or don’t think they’re going to get any better with their physicality and functional capacity… If you can stand and go to the bathroom independently when you couldn’t before, that’s going to change your life” says Anna.

All sessions are tailored for the client, depending on their issues. Anna sees many patients who have multiple sclerosis and HAL has worked well for them.

“A lot of our MS clients’ sessions are targeted at prevention, to prevent the deconditioning that comes if someone stops moving altogether”.