Paraplegic to kick 'football' wearing 'mind-controlled exoskeleton' to open Brazil WC

A young paraplegic Brazilian will reportedly don a mind-controlled robotic exoskeleton to demonstrate a football kick during the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2014, which will begin on June 16.

The complex and conspicuous robotic suit, built from lightweight alloys and powered by hydraulics, is the culmination of years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers working on a project called 'Walk Again'.

According to The Guardian, researcher Miguel Nicolelis, whose team focused on ways to read people's brain waves and use them to control robotic limbs, is training nine paraplegic men and women aged between 20 and 40 years to use the exoskeleton at a neurorobotics rehabilitation lab in Sao Paulo.

The report mentioned that three would be chosen to attend the opening ceremony with one heading on to the pitch to perform the demonstration, adding that the exoskeleton, which contains an electrode-fitted cap to pick up the wearer's brain waves, is powered by a battery for two hours of continuous use.

The operator's feet rest on plates, which have sensors to detect when contact is made with the ground and the plates are connected to a vibrating device sewn into the forearm of the wearer's shirt which to fool the brain into thinking that the sensation came from their foot, the report also said.

Nicolelis said he believed the technology was ripe for turning into everyday devices to help paraplegics and could ultimately replace wheelchairs and the report added that the exoskeleton is fitted with multiple airbags and gyros to stop it falling over during the balancing act of bipedal walking.