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.

• [Germán Gutierrez]

  Should have taken the elevator, you’ll reach the top 43 minutes faster

• [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.

  • [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. 

• [Linley Lee]

  That is really awesome.