A former jockey's story of how a 15 million yen piece of medical equipment became unusable after a 3,000 yen part was refused repair.
Former jockey Michael Straight, who had been paralyzed from the waist down after a fall from a horse, had been living with a $100,000 exoskeleton, but was unable to repair the $20 part, so he gave up on using the exoskeleton.
Paralyzed Jockey Michael Straight Wants To Keep Walking, But Manufacturer Won't Repair Exoskeleton - Paulick Report | Shining Light on the Horse Industry
Paralyzed Jockey Loses Ability to Walk After Manufacturer Refuses to Fix Battery For His $100,000 Exoskeleton
An out-of-warranty battery almost left this paralyzed man's exoskeleton useless - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255074/former-jockey-michael-straight-exoskeleton-repair-battery
In 2009, Straight was involved in a horse-riding accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down and unable to walk. He purchased the ReWalk Personal exoskeleton developed by a German company called Lifeward, and regained his ability to walk.
However, around September 2024, the exoskeleton broke down due to a malfunction in the wiring of the watch worn to control it. Straight asked the manufacturer to repair it, but the manufacturer refused, saying, 'The battery is to blame, but it's too old to repair.'
'I thought it was no big deal so I asked them to repair it, but they said they couldn't fix a machine that was over five years old,' he said. 'I can't believe I paid nearly $100,000 for the machine and training and then a $20 watch battery is going to stop me from walking,' he said . He also called the refusal to repair the machine a 'pathetic excuse from a bad company trying to make money.'
After his complaint was picked up by a horse racing website and a local TV station, Lifeward was able to get the bike repaired quickly.
'We're happy to report that we've been in contact with Mr. Straight and have been able to resolve the issue with his device,' Lifeward spokesperson Kathleen O'Donnell told tech media outlet The Verge. 'Mr. Straight's device is more than 10 years old, and we are encouraging him to seek a replacement, as other options are now available and we are accepting refunds for those who qualify.'
'Manufacturers have a mindset that their responsibility ends once they deliver to the customer,' said Nathan Proctor of US PIRG, a civil rights group that works to secure an individual's right to repair. 'That's true for any product, but it's inappropriate for devices like exoskeletons. These products need to be repairable by people. It's outrageous that a $100,000 product can't function because of its battery, and we shouldn't have to live in a society where this happens.'
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in Hardware, Posted by log1p_kr