We live in the era of biological enhancements through technological advances. In recent weeks, we have seen how a company is able to use a brain implant to control Vision Pro with the mind, a piece of news that adds to the advances of Neuralink (Elon Musk’s initiative) and its ability to allow gamers to enjoy video games again. However, this time we have a truly tragic piece of news, unfortunately marked by a meager amount of money: 18 euros.
As reported by the TechSpot portal in a recent publication, Doug Straight lost the ability to walk after the company Lifeward refused to repair his exoskeleton ReWalk valued at 91,000 euros. According to the original news, it broke due to a cable connection failure of the clock that acted as a control interface, a situation that could have been easily and inexpensively repaired. However, Lifeward refused, arguing that the exoskeleton, 10 years old, was too old to receive maintenance.
An example of how profits are above morals
Surprisingly, repairing the failing cable only cost 18 euros, but because it was such a low amount, the company had no interest in making the repair and charging for the labor. Unfortunately, Lifeward’s refusal shows that many companies prioritize maximizing profits over health, morals, or the well-being of people. Additionally, Lifeward does not make it easy for independent repair shops to access their technology, making repairing the exoskeleton very complicated.
Nathan Proctor, a member of the organization US PIRG, pointed out that manufacturers should consider that their responsibility ends once they deliver the product to the customer, reflecting a highly irresponsible attitude towards their users. Luckily, Straight was able to repair his exoskeleton, but only after generating enough pressure on social media for Lifeward to backtrack and make a different decision. However, not everyone would be so lucky, which is why it is important for there to be a paradigm shift in the morals of companies to ensure that similar situations do not happen again.
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Main image of Doug Straight (Facebook)
