Amputee with nerve-controlled bionic leg makes historic climb in Chicago skyscraper

31-year-old amputee Zac Vawter made medical history Sunday, climbing 103 stories of the Willis Tower with a state-of-the-art bionic leg controlled by electrical impulses from the muscles in his upper leg, including a rewired hamstring. He finished the climb in 45 minutes. More at the Chicago Trib, and CNN.

Boing Boing editor/partner and tech culture journalist Xeni Jardin hosts and produces Boing Boing's in-flight TV channel on Virgin America airlines (#10 on the dial), and writes about living with breast cancer. Diagnosed in 2011. @xeni on Twitter. email: xeni@boingboing.net.

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The Snowden Principle

http://www.facebook.com/people/Germán-Gutierrez/1308436234 Germán Gutierrez

Should have taken the elevator, you’ll reach the top 43 minutes faster
http://twitter.com/Polackio Matt Popke

I have two totally working legs and I don’t think I would ever want to climb 103 stories of stairs. I guess metal really is better than meat.
- http://openid.aliz.es/butmyrisk butmyrisk
  
  To get this to work you need to send muscle nervous signals. Sending those signals feels like as much work as doing it. Furthermore the software is probably less than subtle.
sburns54

Aw, Jeez… when I overheard the news from a TV in the other room that a guy with a bionic leg climbed some skyscraper, I thought he climbed it on the OUTSIDE of it like Spider-man or a real bionic man would. This is a bit of a let-down, though I think Zac is quite a guy anyway. Let me know when someone does it on the outside.
- Navin_Johnson
  
  ”Some skyscraper”
  
  It’s The Sears Tower (I’ll never call it “Willis”), the tallest building in the western hemisphere. It’s somewhat impressive for a relatively healthy person with two good legs. Give the dude some credit.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:BurjKhalifaHeight.svg&page=1
  - sburns54
    
    Hey, I did! I think it’s great! I think it would be tough for a VERY healthy person in great shape to do it! But I thought when they say “climbed” the tower …well, you know. Silly me.
  - L_Mariachi
    
    Yeah, can we please not cave in to every corporation or billionaire who buys an iconic landmark and tries to rename it? Not even Leona Helmsley tried to rename the Empire State Building.
Andy Reilly

Damn I love science.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Linley-Lee/665497022 Linley Lee

That is really awesome.