Man Ascends One of the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers with His Bionic Leg

Who says having a disability ceases someone to achieve something? Amputee Zac Vawter proved that climbing 103 floors of the Willis Tower in Chicago with his bionic or mind-controlled leg is just a piece of cake. The 31-year-old Vawter made record as the first person to complete the remarkable climb with a bionic leg in approximately 45 minutes. 

In “SkyRise Chicago,” a charity event that raises funds for Chicago’s Rehabilitation Institute, Zac Vawter gladly took participation for his bionic leg’s first public assessment after a motorcycle accident cost him his right leg. As Vawter took the stairs, his determination and concentration enabled the motors, chains and belts on his 10 lbs. prosthetic leg to coordinate with the ankle and knee movements. Researchers and officials of the institute cheerfully applauded and celebrated with Vawter’s fantastic leg performance. 

"Everything went great. The prosthetic leg did its part, and I did my part,” Vawter said in a Newsday.com report. "A lot of people say that losing a leg is like losing a loved one. You go through a grieving process. You and establish a new normal in your life and move on. Today was a big event. It's just neat to be a part of the research and be a part of RIC," Vawter further shared.

In preparation for the climb at the Willis Tower, Zac Vawter revealed that he trained on a small gym escalator. Also, the researchers have adjusted all of the technological features of the bionic leg to guarantee its response to Vawter’s thoughts. 

Joanne Smith, the Rehabilitation Institute's CEO, said “This event was a research project for us. We were testing the leg under extreme conditions. Very few patients who will use the leg in the future will be using it for this purpose. From that perspective, its performance was beyond measure.”

Also, Levi Hargrove, the institute’s Center for Bionic Medicine lead researcher believes that their team needs more effort to construct rock solid devices that are more than just a research prototype. "We've come a long way, but we have a long way to go," Hargrove said.