By Miriam Raftery

June 27, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) --According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about 200,000 people in the United States living with a spinal cord injury, many of whom have complete or partial paralysis, or paraplegia. But now there is hope that some of them may soon be able to walk again.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has just approved marketing of  the first wearable, motorized exoskeleton  device to help people with lower body paralysis due to a spinal cord injury stand on their own two feet once again.

ReWalk is a motorized device worn over the legs and part of the upper body.  It helps a person sit, stand, and walk again with help from a trained companion, such as a spouse or home health aide.  Using a wireless remote control on the wrist, the user commands ReWalk to stand up, sit down or walk.