The heart that beats inside Charles Okeke ’s chest is wholly artificial . It keep him animated , but at a price : he ’s tethered to a 400 - lb . machine in a hospital . Thanks to a rotatory knapsack - sized find , he can in conclusion go home again .
Click to viewCalled the Freedom Driver , the gadget is a miniaturized interpretation of the large , bulky locker visualise in the video above that Okeke had to wheel around with him wherever he want to go . It work delicately , but the unwieldy equipment limit Okeke to the infirmary for the better part of the past two years .
Enter the haversack , and newly - found exemption . Pretty amazing stuff , although not without its caveats .
Questions remain about the power provision , and whether it will be enough to maintain not only marrow function , but liver and kidney office as well . In effect , this gimmick has become an extra harmonium that Okeke and his doctors will involve to keep and supervise until a new transplant heart ( of the constitutional variety ) can be locate . It should be noted that Dr. are positive Okeke could use the equipment indefinitely if it comes to that .
Oh , and then there ’s the Leontyne Price : At $ 125,000 plus $ 18,000 / yr in maintenance cost , the Freedom Driver will not be beating in the chest of all 3,000 + pith transplant wait list patients anytime before long . Still , an amazing first step forward toward our inevitable bionic woman futurity . [ CBS NewsviaCNET ]
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