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Message no. 1
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 02:00:06 -0600
STUFF
XS-3 Series Exoskeleton Walker Frame
Patrick E. Goodman <remo@***.net>
--------
(>) Okay, so some of us have weird ways of relieving personal stress. I
was scanning through some medical supplies catalogs and similar
literature the other night, something that happens whenever one of my
friends winds up in the hospital (please don't ask what happens when
they wind up in the morgue; it's not pretty), and I saw this little
doomaflage. While I was initially drawn in by the rather whimsical name
of the company, after reading the flyer, it struck me as something that
might be useful for a couple of friends of mine who were, shall we say,
incapacitated on the job. The file's marked for read-write, as usual,
so let us know what you think.
(>) Sysop Corona
Posted at 03:38:54 on 17 October 2059

(>) How's Manny, sweetheart? Pissed some of us off mightily when we
heard what happened. If it's any comfort, I've made sure that the skag
who did that to him has retired from the field. Permanently.
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.

(>) They've lost the arm, and they're probably going to have to replace
his left lung and the ribs on that side. They have to tread carefully,
because he's so wired up. He's been taken out of ICU for the moment,
however, so they think he's going to make it. Thanks for asking.

And Dancer? About the retirement...thanks for that, too. I owe you a
big one.
(>) Sysop Corona
Posted at 07:23:12 on 19 October 2059

(>) You're more than welcome, sweetheart, and you owe me nothing; this
one was on the house. I owed Manny that much, at least, so just chalk
it up as balancing the books.
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.

Shoebomb's Nifty Gizmos, Inc. -- XS-3 Series Exoskeleton Walker Frame

(>) All right, I hate to interrupt so soon, but I've gotta know:
Shoebomb's Nifty Gizmos? Where'd the name come from, and are we really
supposed to take any guy who'd name his company like that seriously?
(>) Johnny Reb

(>) Actually, Reb, the guy who named the company's a girl. SNG was
founded by a young lady named Siobhán Kane. She was the third of three
kids; her youngest brother is about six years older than she is, and he
had trouble pronouncing her name...it kept coming out "Shoebomb." She
liked it, and it stuck around. As for the "Nifty Gizmos" part...well,
that's what she builds. She invents things that may or may not have a
practical use, builds them, then passes them along to SNG's parent
company and let's them worry about finding a market for whatever it is.
(>) Aries

For decades, one of the hardest things to deal with after a serious
injury or major surgery has been the physical therapy required for an
effective recovery. It's an expensive proposition, for one; the vast
majority of those undergoing physical therapy are paralyzed, either due
to injury or while awaiting the activation of cybernetic implants such
as wired reflexes. It also has mixed effects on a patient's morale.
While it's true that their body is being kept as strong as possible
during their recovery, if indeed they are going to recover, most of the
patients are unable to do much on their own outside of therapy. The
rest of the time, most sit around in hospital beds, watching soap operas
on the trid and feeling despair creep up on them. Not being able to get
around on their own helps to rob them of motivation to get better.

Additionally, many of those paralyzed due to injury are either too poor
to afford the reconstructive cybersurgery to bypass spinal damage, or
are magically active and unable to accept cybernetic or bionetic
replacements or repairs. Some paralysis is caused not by spinal trauma,
but by neurological disorders that cannot be cured with the present
state of medical technology or magic.

(>) Someone wanna tell me what this says in English?
(>) Dixie Hick

(>) You missed out on a lot of intellectual stimulation growing up,
didn't you, child? It means that all the chrome in the world isn't
worth its weight in spit for a lot of people. Like the article said,
most magicians won't go that route, and an awful lot of people just
can't afford it.
(>) Cloud Dancer
Give me land, lots of land, and the starry sky above

(>) You expect me to buy that, chickie? How many street punks out there
have spurs or a smartlink? Those aren't exactly cheap.
(>) Dixie Hick

(>) You're comparing a 2,500¥ smartgun link, or even a retractable spur
system at 11K¥, and their respective surgical costs, to a 60K¥-plus
spinal bypass processor and its surgical costs? And you can't take _me_
seriously? Tell me something: How easy is it for that gutterpunk to go
into the shadows and find a job that'll pay off the financing on his new
chrome in a week or two? Now how easy is it going to be for a
wage-slave to even find financing on something in the neighborhood of
sixty times that cost (after you factor in hospitalization, surgery, and
other associated costs)? It's not as easy or as cheap for most people
as you want to believe it is.
(>) Shoebomb

The XS-3 series of exoskeleton walkers is designed to assist in both
physical therapy and in providing the patient with the means of getting
around on their own. The primary purpose of the machine, of course, is
physical therapy; it is pre-programmed with dozens of different
movements to maintain muscle tone and work through complete range of
motion. A secondary market also exists, however, in those individuals
who are permanently disabled, cannot accept cybernetic enhancement, and
who seek an alternative to wheelchairs as a means of moving about on
their own.

The XS-3 utilizes a lightweight plasteel frame, driven by high-strength
electric servomotors, which in turn are powered by a series of
high-density flat-pack batteries, which line the inside surface of the
machine. The batteries also provide power to a dedicated computer
system built into an integrated belt pack. An electrode net headband
reads neural impulses from the patient's brain and then provides
instructions to the computer, which in turn drives the servomotor system
and moves the walker.

(>) Bulldrek!! You can't rig with a 'trode net, no how, no way! This
thing has got to be phony!
(>) Doozer

(>) For the record, Doozer, it's not phony. A burst from an Ares HVAR
tried to cut me in back in March of 2055, and it did a number on my
spinal cord at the L3 vertebra. I'm paralyzed from the waist down, and
I wear one of these things every day of my life. I can assure you that
it does work. So can fourteen hospital rehab programs in Texas and
Oklahoma that have helped me with the field trials for the thing over
the past eight months or so.

As for rigging with an electrode net: I never said you could. This
isn't rigging, exactly; it's more like simsense translation, especially
when you consider that I scavenged the 'trode net from a Fuchi Cabaret-3
induction simrig to use on the XS-1p prototype. The net picks up the
signals from your brain that say you want to stand up from a chair, for
instance; it sends those signals to the onboard computer system, which
then sends a preprogrammed sequence of commands to the servomotors that
tell the machine to stand you up. A rigger becomes his vehicle; the
motors and gears are a part of him, and he can make each one do what he
wants them to do. A rigger-driven exoskeleton like this one would
probably be built of smart materials, with lots of extra options and
speed. It would also be a lot more graceful, and much less
conspicuous...hmmmm, maybe I ought to think about that sort of thing for
paraplegic riggers....

The XS-3 doesn't give you much control over how it does it; all the
actual movements are programmed into the computer's EPROMs. I've made
the movements as fluid as I can, as real as I can, but it's not perfect.
Yet. I'm hoping that I can get better handling out of the XS-4.
(>) Shoebomb

(>) Oops. Sorry; didn't realize this was such a personal project for
you. I didn't mean no offense. Mind if I ask you why you didn't get
the cyber bypass surgery?
(>) Doozer

(>) Apology accepted, and none taken. I get that reaction from a lot of
riggers, so I'm kind of used to it by now. I didn't get the spinal
bypass because I'm an adept, and I like my Talent just the way it is.
(>) Shoebomb

There are three basic models of the XS-3 exoskeleton. The XS-3p is for
the lower body only, from the waist down. The XS-3q is for quadriplegic
injuries where the patient still has control of his head and neck; it
features individually articulated fingers, though their dexterity is not
very high. The XS-3n is the same unit as the XS-3q, with the addition
of a neck brace and articulation; this unit is for high-neck injury
patients who cannot move their heads without aid.

The following table outlines the costs and pricing for the various
models of the XS-3 exoskeleton. The prices shown are for human-sized
units; prices for troll-sized or dwarf-sized units are slightly higher.

Weight Availability Cost Street Index Legality
XS-3p 10.0 4/14 days 11,500¥ 1 Legal
XS-3q 14.5 4/14 days 14,000¥ 1 Legal
XS-3n 15.5 4/14 days 15,400¥ 1 Legal

(>) These things ain't priced any better than that set of spurs I was
talking about. What's that you were saying about them being affordable?
(>) Dixie Hick

(>) Y'know, Hick, it's trogs like you that give the South a bad name,
boy.
(>) Tara

(>) Something to point out is that the primary purpose of the XS-3 is
therapy, not as a day-to-day means of getting about (secondary markets
and Ms. Kane's use of the device notwithstanding). The primary markets
for these are hospitals and rehabilitation programs, though it's known
that many private individuals will want to own it themselves for daily
use. Most hospitals, both public and private, can budget the cost of a
few of these units without much effort. Ms. Kane, for obvious personal
reasons, is dedicated to making sure that these units are available to
anyone who needs them, however; for private individuals and families
wishing to own a unit, either for personal mobility or home-based
therapy, Ms. Kane has specified that no-interest loans should be made
available to those who need them through SNG's parent company, Rogue
Star Enterprises, and the RSE Board of Directors has agreed unanimously
with that specification.
(>) RSE Public Relations Group

The inner surfaces of the XS-3 exoskeleton are lined with the flat-pack
batteries that provide it with power. The battery packs are, in turn,
lined with neoprene padding and lycra to prevent chafing and irritation,
something many patients wouldn't be able to notice and which could lead
to severe infection if left unchecked. While the exoskeleton has a wide
range of adjustment, it is not one-size-fits-all; the system comes in
small, medium, and large sizes within each metatype, with special units
for children available on request. SNG will custom-fit the system to
the patient upon request; in keeping with the company's philosophy of
making these units available at a low cost, the surcharge for custom
fitting the unit is only 10% instead of the industry's more typical 75%
to 100% surcharge for customization.

Typical times to put on and take off one of these units vary widely.
The 3q and 3n models, of course, require a second person to assist the
patient into and out of the walker, where the 3p model can be mounted
and dismounted by the patient alone. Mount and dismount times for the
3p range from 20 minutes for beginners to about 5 minutes for
experienced riders; for the 3q and 3n, beginners can expect to spend up
to 35 minutes or so getting a patient into the machine, while
experienced aides can get a patient up and ready in about 12 minutes.

At full strength, the battery packs will last from about eight hours to
as long as twelve, depending on the model and the extent of use. The
recharge system can fully charge the entire system in the space of about
three hours; the charger is located within the chair/docking station
(which is included in the cost of the system).

(>) For the record, since I know that some people out there are curious:
3.5 minutes on, 3 minutes off, and my batteries tend to last about 10
hours before they geek out (I don't always move around a lot at work).
I've also had lots of practice in getting into and out of this thing;
the 5 minute marker stated above is pretty accurate, near as I can tell.

A few pointers, since some things just can't be formatted into a catalog
ad.

First, you're not going to be running any marathons wearing one of
these. For that matter, you're not going to be running, period. I'm
working on making the XS-4 a bit more agile, but for now the unit will
walk. Keeping your balance is fairly easy, but you have to learn not to
over-extend when you're reaching for something on a shelf. If you're
wearing a 3q or a 3n, you're also not going to be doing any intricate
needlework.

Just as a precaution, always wear something underneath this, padding or
no padding, and if you're like me and have no sensation in your
extremities, either examine yourself or have someone else do it. If you
end up chafing and it gets infected, it can kill you. Ask Robert
Wadlow, the tallest pre-Awakening human on record, since that was how he
died. I generally wear a leotard underneath the frame, and some big
baggy pants over the top of it. No matter what you do to decorate it,
this thing is just plain ugly.

Which brings me to my last point: This thing is also fairly obvious.
The movements are all pre-programmed, and while as fluid as I can make
them at the moment, are still mechanical. Not as bad as, say,
_Robocop_, but they lack spontaneity.
(>) Shoebomb

GAME EFFECTS

This is an almost purely role-playing oriented piece of gear; it has
virtually no statistical advantage to offer.

Any of the XS-3 exoskeletons changes a character's Quickness to 3 for
purposes of movement. There is no running modifier for characters
wearing an XS-3; the system only allows the character to walk, with a
movement rate of 3. The XS-3q and XS-3n models also have articulated
fingers; a character's Quickness for purposes of manual dexterity tests
is set at 1.

These exoskeletons may, at GM's discretion, offer a single point of
Impact armor.

For purposes of determining Load requirements, the suit may carry its
occupant without penalty. Additional gear and equipment load should be
determined as if the character has a Strength of 4. Instead of accruing
stun damage, however, the suit's battery duration begins to fall as per
the movement rate reductions listed in the "Hauling the Load" section of
SR3, page 274. For instance, if a character would have his Movement
rate reduced to one-quarter its normal rating, then the suit's battery
power is reduced to one-quarter its original capacity (6 + 1d6 hours, or
GM's discretion). If the suit runs out of power away from its charger,
the character is immobilized.

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 2
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 02:39:01 -0600
This eerie silence is making me nervous. Either you hated it, or it was
so perfect it didn't need any comment...I'm not sure which would be
worse. <g>

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 3
From: Bruce <gyro@********.CO.ZA>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 13:46:46 +0200
-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
To: NERPS@********.ITRIBE.NET <NERPS@********.ITRIBE.NET>
Date: 06 January 1999 10:30
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]


>This eerie silence is making me nervous. Either you hated it, or it
was
>so perfect it didn't need any comment...I'm not sure which would be
>worse. <g>


Its a keeper as far as I'm concerned. Thanks.

-- BRUCE <gyro@********.co.za>

<hard@****>
Message no. 4
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 13:22:53 -0600
>>This eerie silence is making me nervous. Either you hated it,
>>or it was so perfect it didn't need any comment...I'm not sure
>>which would be worse. <g>
>
>Its a keeper as far as I'm concerned. Thanks.

The eerie silence still bothers me....

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 5
From: Tomus Cone <brother_1@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 23:08:26 PST
>eerie silence...
>Patrick Goodman.

I only respond to a paragraph at a time. That rarely.
I really only had to read one sentence...

"This is a purely role-playing piece of equipment"

I had stats for it and knew its effects at that moment.

"Everything is relative"

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Message no. 6
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1999 01:35:11 -0600
From: Tomus Cone
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 1999 1:08 AM

>I only respond to a paragraph at a time. That rarely.
>I really only had to read one sentence...
>
>"This is a purely role-playing piece of equipment"
>
>I had stats for it and knew its effects at that moment.

So is that good or bad...?

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 7
From: Tomus Cone <brother_1@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1999 22:21:31 PST
>>I knew...
>So, is that good or bad?

Well...
You gave me an idea that hadn't occurred to me without the article
(good), but I found most of the article superfluous upon reading that
one sentence (bad). However, I could certainly understand people
needing further clarification on what you had in mind (good), and
couldn't fault them for needing it. I certainly wouldn't say you wasted
time writing the article (good).

Overall, I'd say ya done good.

"Everything is relative"

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Message no. 8
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1999 12:51:38 -0600
From: Tomus Cone
Sent: Friday, January 08, 1999 12:22 AM

>You gave me an idea that hadn't occurred to me without the article
>(good), but I found most of the article superfluous upon reading
>that one sentence (bad).

Which idea, if I might be so bold?

>However, I could certainly understand people needing further
>clarification on what you had in mind (good), and couldn't fault
>them for needing it. I certainly wouldn't say you wasted time
>writing the article (good).

There appear to be more goods than bads there, which is comforting in
its way.

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 9
From: Pete Wilson <piatro@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 21:43:07 -0600
>(>) Something to point out is that the primary purpose of the XS-3 is
>therapy, not as a day-to-day means of getting about (secondary markets
>and Ms. Kane's use of the device notwithstanding). The primary markets
>for these are hospitals and rehabilitation programs, though it's known
>that many private individuals will want to own it themselves for daily
>use. Most hospitals, both public and private, can budget the cost of a
>few of these units without much effort. Ms. Kane, for obvious personal
>reasons, is dedicated to making sure that these units are available to
>anyone who needs them, however; for private individuals and families
>wishing to own a unit, either for personal mobility or home-based
>therapy, Ms. Kane has specified that no-interest loans should be made
>available to those who need them through SNG's parent company, Rogue
>Star Enterprises, and the RSE Board of Directors has agreed unanimously
>with that specification.
>(>) RSE Public Relations Group

(>) Well that would explain why I haven't ever seen one of these in public.
Just how common are these units? Or more importantly, would the guards at
the arcology know how to search a walking frame for weapons? They are
distressingly adept at finding them on stanard wheelchairs.
(>) Chaos Engineer - Better living through designed entropy.


[snip most of Shoebomb's final coments]

>Which brings me to my last point: This thing is also fairly obvious.
>The movements are all pre-programmed, and while as fluid as I can make
>them at the moment, are still mechanical. Not as bad as, say,
>_Robocop_, but they lack spontaneity.
>(>) Shoebomb

(>) How do the Walkers transfer from full computer control to no control as
the opperator improves? If someone were to shut the unit off, assuming
that they could at that point move on their own, will the walker
significantly hamper their movements. Do the motors lock up when there is
no power going to them.
(>) Chaos Engineer - Confusion is you friend, as long as you can control it.
Message no. 10
From: Pete Wilson <piatro@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 22:18:21 -0600
I Wrote:

(>) How do the Walkers transfer from full computer control to no control as
the opperator improves? If someone were to shut the unit off, assuming
that they could at that point move on their own, will the walker
significantly hamper their movements. Do the motors lock up when there is
no power going to them.
(>) Chaos Engineer - Confusion is you friend, as long as you can control it.



With a big nod to my irrelivant Theatre degree, this post should be by:

(>) Imaginary Invalid
Message no. 11
From: Psykotika <Psykotika@*****.NET>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 16:48:44 -0600
(>) How do the Walkers transfer from full
computer control to no control as the opperator
improves? If someone were to shut the unit off,
assuming that they could at that point move on
their own, will the walker significantly hamper
their movements. Do the motors lock up when
there is no power going to them.
(>) Chaos Engineer - Confusion is you friend, as long as you
can control it.
(>)I have another question for you? Is there any way that you could
modify this to be able to pick up land carry large amounts of
weight/weapons/armor so that a person in my line of work
(Sammari/Sniper) could use this for their own personal advantages in
cituations.?
(>)Psykotika
Message no. 12
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 21:47:35 -0600
Hark! a response.... I can scarce contain my enthusiasm. <g>

<snip the RSE Public Relations spiel...most of it, anyway>

>>...Ms. Kane has specified that no-interest loans should be made
>>available to those who need them through SNG's parent company,
>>Rogue Star Enterprises, and the RSE Board of Directors has agreed
>>unanimously with that specification.
>>(>) RSE Public Relations Group
>
>(>) Well that would explain why I haven't ever seen one of these
>in public. Just how common are these units? Or more importantly,
>would the guards at the arcology know how to search a walking
>frame for weapons? They are distressingly adept at finding them
>on stanard wheelchairs.
>(>) Chaos Engineer
> Better living through designed entropy

(>) I'm not at home right now, so I don't have the exact stats, but I've
got over 240 units in rehab programs in 14 different hospitals across
the CAS for the field trials, orders from 30-some-odd other hospitals in
a dozen different countries for a total of close to 1000 units (off the
top of my head), and a couple or three hundred in private hands so far.
Considering I've had the XS-3 ready for only a few months, I'm pretty
impressed. As for knowing how to search for weapons, I can't speak for
security at the Arcology in Seattle, but I know that the guards at the
Loew's Resort hotel in Dallas know how....
(>) Shoebomb

>[snip most of Shoebomb's final coments]
>
>>Which brings me to my last point: This thing is also fairly
>>obvious. The movements are all pre-programmed, and while as
>>fluid as I can make them at the moment, are still mechanical.
>>Not as bad as, say, _Robocop_, but they lack spontaneity.
>>(>) Shoebomb
>
>(>) How do the Walkers transfer from full computer control to
>no control as the opperator improves? If someone were to shut
>the unit off, assuming that they could at that point move on
>their own, will the walker significantly hamper their movements.
>Do the motors lock up when there is no power going to them?
>(>) Imaginary Invalid
> Confusion is you friend, as long as you can control it

(>) In a rehab situation, the therapist can temporarily interrupt the
computerized movement routines to see how well the patient is
progressing, and make any necessary adjustments. Most of the people who
get this for private use aren't likely to be in the "improving"
category, I'm afraid, so it's kind of a moot point. Those private
individuals that are in the "improving" category will also have their
own private therapists, so they get the same treatment as rehab patients
in hospitals. I strapped my brother into one of these to test what
happens when the power goes away; he could still get around, but told me
it was like walking through waist-deep taffy. Again, I must emphasize
that you won't be winning any races with this thing.
(>) Shoebomb

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 13
From: Lady Jestyr <jestyr@*******.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: FW: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 22:14:14 +1000
>Milady, I don't know if you're on NERPS or not, so I don't know if you've
>had a chance to look this over. This is a first draft of a gizmo I use=
with
>one of my NPCs; I brought it up on ShadowRN once, but wanted to get it
>finalized on NERPS before unleashing it there.

I am indeed on NERPS, though I've been very inactive lately, what with new
job and all. I'll CC: this to NERPS, so that everyone else can comment on
my comments.

>Seeing as how you've actually been seriously injured and in need of=
physical
>therapy, I was wondering if you could look this over and let me know what
>you think, from that perspective. Feel free to tear into it, or add shadow
>comments, or both. I'd really appreciate your input, since I was flying
>blind and basically making things up as I went. I don't have first-hand
>knowledge, and I'd like to make this more authentic if possible.

Okay, I'll see what turns up. Feel free to edit my shadowcomments to death=
:-)

>For decades, one of the hardest things to deal with after a serious injury
>or major surgery has been the physical therapy required for an effective
>recovery. It's an expensive proposition, for one; the vast majority of=
those
>undergoing physical therapy are paralyzed, either due to injury or while
>awaiting the activation of cybernetic implants such as wired reflexes. It
>also has mixed effects on a patient's morale. While it's true that their
>body is being kept as strong as possible during their recovery, if indeed
>they are going to recover, most of the patients are unable to do much on
>their own outside of therapy. The rest of the time, most sit around in
>hospital beds, watching soap operas on the trid and feeling despair creep=
up
>on them. Not being able to get around on their own helps to rob them of
>motivation to get better.

You might want to put in a mention somewhere in the above paragraph that
sometimes injuries conflict and that the cure for one injury may exacerbate
another. In my own example, the fact that I had to stay immobilised in bed
for five weeks (oh! the tedium!) while my pelvis fracture healed, meant
that my broken leg was supersuper weak when I actually _could_ get up and
walk. In fact, I couldn't walk for several days after I was allowed up -
two orderlies had to support me while I slowly stood up, and then I
supported myself on a frame while standing - I couldn't even take a step.

>(>) You missed out on a lot of intellectual stimulation growing up, didn't
>you, child?

*rofl* Charming. :-)

>(>) You're comparing a 2,500¥ smartgun link, or even a retractable spur
>system at 11K¥, and their respective surgical costs, to a 60K¥-plus=
spinal
>bypass processor and its surgical costs? And you can't take _me_=
seriously?
>Tell me something: How easy is it for that gutterpunk to go into the
>shadows and find a job that'll pay off the financing on his new chrome in a
>week or two? Now how easy is it going to be for a wage-slave to even find
>financing on something in the neighborhood of sixty times that cost (after
>you factor in hospitalization, surgery, and other associated costs)? It's
>not as easy or as cheap for most people as you want to believe it is.
>(>) Shoebomb

(>) Especially given the fact that said wageslave also has to get the
financing to support himself (and any dependents) for the months - or years
- he's likely to be off work afterwards, a factor the average gutterpunk
probably won't have to bother with.
(>) OpTik

>The XS-3 series of exoskeleton walkers is designed to assist in both
>physical therapy and in providing the patient with the means of getting
>around on their own. The primary purpose of the machine, of course, is
>physical therapy; it is pre-programmed with dozens of different movements=
to
>maintain muscle tone and work through complete range of motion. A=
secondary
>market also exists, however, in those individuals who are permanently
>disabled, cannot accept cybernetic enhancement, and who seek an alternative
>to wheelchairs as a means of moving about on their own.

Might want to have it incorporate a low-level electrolysis system - I don't
know what they're called, but there are electro systems that physios use to
relieve pain - they put electrodes over nerve points, and then run a low
current through you. Basically an electronic version of acupuncture, and it
really does work. Though you tend to get a bit blistered if you turn the
current up too high! (I fell asleep with mine on one day and nearly cooked
myself!)

>The inner surfaces of the XS-3 exoskeleton are lined with the flat-pack
>batteries that provide it with power. The battery packs are, in turn,=
lined
>with neoprene padding and lycra to prevent chafing and irritation,=
something
>many patients wouldn't be able to notice and which could lead to severe
>infection if left unchecked.

Nice point; just about anything will chafe if you rub against it for long
enough, and pressure sores aren't nice at all.

Rather than neoprene padding, I'd suggest gel-bags, I think.

>First, you're not going to be running any marathons wearing one of these.
>For that matter, you're not going to be running, period. I'm working on
>making the XS-4 a bit more agile, but for now the unit will walk. Keeping
>your balance is fairly easy, but you have to learn not to over-extend when
>you're reaching for something on a shelf. If you're wearing a 3q or a 3n,
>you're also not going to be doing any intricate needlework.

Kneeling down is probably also going to be tricky; more to the point,
straightening back up without losing your balance.

Other than that, this is all pretty good stuff. No glaring inaccuracies
that I can see...

Lady Jestyr

"A true beanie should have a propellor on the top." -- Terry Pratchett
- jestyr@*******.com.au URL: http://www.geocities.com/~jestyr -
Message no. 14
From: James Kotz <nightlight@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: FW: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 00:15:00 -0500
>
> Kneeling down is probably also going to be tricky; more to the point,
> straightening back up without losing your balance.
>
> Other than that, this is all pretty good stuff. No glaring inaccuracies
> that I can see...
>
> Lady Jestyr
>
> "A true beanie should have a propellor on the top." -- Terry Pratchett
> - jestyr@*******.com.au URL: http://www.geocities.com/~jestyr -

Just a few general comments: Wouldn't there be much better prosthetics
by now (then?).
Something along the lines of cybernetic or drone limbs, like an
exo-skeleton or
external dermal sheath?? Use matching sets to solve the balance problem
(i.e. if you hurt your left leg, you still get setup for both legs). If
the
patient has a VCR or Datajack, they can control it cybernetically; if
not, then
either a hand control pad or skin electrodes can be used.

Temporary patients could just rent them from hospitals to keep costs
down.
Strength & Quickness of (2 + Racial Mods) seems enough for basic rehab,
with
better models being available for more money. Generally equipment costs
half of it's cyber version, maybe 10% of that per month for rent? (So
it's
5% of the cyber's cost for one month's use.)

Okay, EoR.
Message no. 15
From: James Kotz <nightlight@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: FW: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 02:06:26 -0500
Lady Jestyr wrote:
>
> Absolutely, but the whole point was that this was _cheap_.

At a certain point though, no matter how cheap, people don't buy things
when
something comsiderably better is available for only moderately more
money.
Have you picked up a 386 lately, even though you can get them for
practically
free? Not likely, since you can get something a few steps back from
SOTA for
a small amount of money.

> Renting medical gear for any substantial length of time (as is needed when
> recovering from serious injury, or for long-term therapy) is often more
> expensive than buying it outright.

Well then just buy it & re-sell it, borrow it, whatever. Also, the
hardware
doesn't involve a lot expendable materials like oxygen or medication, so
that
lowers the usage costs. (The other parts of rehab might, but that's a
seperate issue.)
As of the 2060s, medical assistance is probably more available than it
is now, both
because the industry has been around longer, and the technology carries
over from
full-blown cyberware or drones.
Message no. 16
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: FW: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 09:53:15 -0600
Your reply-to is over-riding the list, James. This is probably why I
didn't see Lady Jestyr's response (Lady J, if you could route that to NERPS,
I'd love to see it).

From: James Kotz
Sent: Friday, February 12, 1999 1:06 AM

>> Absolutely, but the whole point was that this was _cheap_.

Actually, Lady J, that wasn't the whole point, but it was part of it.

>At a certain point though, no matter how cheap, people don't buy things
>when something comsiderably better is available for only moderately more
>money.

Did you even read the original article, James? If you did, then I think you
managed to miss a large part of what *was* the point of this gizmo. I'm
going to be re-posting a second draft sometime this weekend. In the
meantime, if you'd like, I'll send the first draft to you so you can
actually see the whole thing.

>As of the 2060s, medical assistance is probably more available
>than it is now, both because the industry has been around longer,
>and the technology carries over from full-blown cyberware or drones.

I disagree; with the wider separation of the haves and have-nots, medical
assistance is likely much less available because not as many people can
afford it, and more actually require it because of the hostile environments
in which they live.

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 17
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: FW: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 10:03:29 -0600
Your reply-to overrides the list.

From: James Kotz
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 11:15 PM

>> Other than that, this is all pretty good stuff. No glaring inaccuracies
>> that I can see...
>
>Just a few general comments: Wouldn't there be much better prosthetics
>by now (then?).

Have you read the entirety of the original article? I can't believe you
have, judging from this particular remark.

Yes, there are better prosthetics. Take a look at any cyberlimb; that's a
better prosthetic. Not everyone can afford the prosthetics, and not
everyone wants to have a limb hacked off to have it replaced, and not
everyone will be willing to accept the loss of magic ability that such a
procedure would incur.

>Something along the lines of cybernetic or drone limbs, like an
>exo-skeleton or external dermal sheath??

This *is* an exoskeleton, James. Frankly, the technology in Shadowrun is
designed around the notion of "Just cut it out; it's easier to replace it."
Which really screws over a lot of people, most of whom are either poor or
magically active.

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 18
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: FW: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 10:13:37 -0600
From: Lady Jestyr
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 6:14 AM

>Okay, I'll see what turns up. Feel free to edit my shadowcomments
>to death :-)

But of course. <g>

>You might want to put in a mention somewhere in the above paragraph
>that sometimes injuries conflict and that the cure for one injury
>may exacerbate another.

I'll try to work that in when I hammer on the second draft.

>>(>) You missed out on a lot of intellectual stimulation growing up, didn't
>>you, child?
>
>*rofl* Charming. :-)

Evadne/Cloud Dancer is a nice enough girl most of the time, but she can be a
bit of a bitch when someone acts like a blatant moron.

In other words...I try. <g>

>(>) Especially given the fact that said wageslave also has to get the
>financing to support himself (and any dependents) for the months - or
>years - he's likely to be off work afterwards, a factor the average
>gutterpunk probably won't have to bother with.
>(>) OpTik

An aspect I didn't think about. Thanks.

>Might want to have it incorporate a low-level electrolysis system - I
>don't know what they're called, but there are electro systems that
>physios use to relieve pain - they put electrodes over nerve points,
>and then run a low current through you. Basically an electronic version
>of acupuncture, and it really does work.

Good idea; I can make that a fairly cheap option for those using the device
who have sensation in the limbs involved.

>Though you tend to get a bit blistered if you turn the current
>up too high! (I fell asleep with mine on one day and nearly cooked
>myself!)

I can imagine. Word of advice: Don't do that. <g>

>>The inner surfaces of the XS-3 exoskeleton are lined with the
>>flat-pack batteries that provide it with power. The battery packs
>>are, in turn, lined with neoprene padding and lycra to prevent
>>chafing and irritation, something many patients wouldn't be able
>>to notice and which could lead to severe infection if left unchecked.
>
>Nice point; just about anything will chafe if you rub against it for long
>enough, and pressure sores aren't nice at all.

I think somewhere in there (at least in one draft) I mentioned the case of
Robert Pershing Wadlow, who was 8'11.1" tall when he died. He died from an
infection caused by chafing brought on by his leg brace.

>Rather than neoprene padding, I'd suggest gel-bags, I think.

Easily done.

>Kneeling down is probably also going to be tricky; more to the point,
>straightening back up without losing your balance.

Probably, but it's tragically not something that Shoe thought about....

>Other than that, this is all pretty good stuff. No glaring inaccuracies
>that I can see...

Oh, happy day!!

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 19
From: Lady Jestyr <jestyr@*******.COM.AU>
Subject: Fwd: Re: FW: [Stuff] Robotic Walker [Long]
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 10:06:57 +1000
>> Absolutely, but the whole point was that this was _cheap_.
>
>At a certain point though, no matter how cheap, people don't buy things
>when
>something comsiderably better is available for only moderately more
>money.
>Have you picked up a 386 lately,

Umm... yes, actually, I have. (Hell, I bought a pile of 8086s lately.) But
then again, my house looks like a computer museum.

The point is also that this device is not intended for a permanent
solution. Shoebomb might wear hers all the time, but generally they're
intended for people who'll use them for therapy and then move on - and
people will put up with a lot more if it's temporary.

>> Renting medical gear for any substantial length of time (as is needed when
>> recovering from serious injury, or for long-term therapy) is often more
>> expensive than buying it outright.
>
>Well then just buy it & re-sell it, borrow it, whatever.

Again, you're assuming that you have the money to _do_ that. That's not
always going to be the case.

I do see your point, and naturally, more high-tech options are going to be
more attractive - however, this piece of equipment _does_ have a place too.

Lady Jestyr

"A true beanie should have a propellor on the top." -- Terry Pratchett
- jestyr@*******.com.au URL: http://www.geocities.com/~jestyr -

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