Kota Kinabalu: A Wearable Robot Exoskeleton (WRE) will be featured at the 12th annual Coalition Duchenne Expedition Mt Kinabalu in a ground-breaking display of advanced medical technology.
The event, set to be flagged off by Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew on July 13 at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa, aims to raise awareness and support for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
The WRE, developed by RoboCT Group in Hangzhou, China, belongs to the family of Rayce Low Rok Chun (pic), a 12-year-old boy from Kuala Lumpur living with DMD.
This rare genetic condition affects approximately 1 in 3,500 male children, making it the most common genetic childhood disease.
Alice Tan, Rayce’s mother, was inspired to acquire the WRE after learning about an Afghan wheelchair basketball player using a similar device at the 2022 Hangzhou Para Games.
The exoskeleton offers new possibilities for individuals with DMD, allowing them to stand and walk with assistance.
Rayce, who uses a wheelchair, expressed his appreciation for the technology, saying, It’s good to be able to see things from a higher view and feel my actual height.”
Coalition Duchenne founder and leader of the Expedition Mt Kinabalu charity climb Catherine Jayasuriya advocates for equitable access to new technologies and potentially life-saving drugs for Malaysian patients with DMD.
She emphasised the importance of including patients from all countries, not just those in the US and Europe, as new treatments become available.
The WRE technology offers several potential benefits for individuals with DMD, including, assistance with daily activities, and prevention of limb atrophy due to disuse, improved circulation and support for impaired motor function.
Unlike previous assistive technologies that required significant muscle strength or external robotic grippers, the WRE allows users to utilize their own limbs with support from the device.
