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"The United States Army began developing an exoskeleton to rejuvenate damaged legs in 2008, and soon, this technology will be available to all.\nA soldier whose leg was damaged by bullets or blasts would make an appointment with Ryan Blanck, the creator of the exoskeleton, and have his leg cast in a mold. From that mold, Blanck would construct a carbon-fiber cast that fit around the injured leg. The cast let soldiers push off from the ground again, and with time and physical therapy, the vast majority of soldiers have regained full mobility, Blanck told Mashable. \nSee also: The U.S. Army Is Building an 'Iron Man' Suit for Soldiers\nCivilians suffering from leg damage will soon be able to get the same treatment, thanks to prosthetics provider Hanger, where Blanck now works.\nThe\u00A0Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis is like a prosthetic for a leg that is still attached to the body, but one that is painful. Many who visit Blanck have considered amputation.\n\"They might be able to stand on it, but they can't fully weight bear on it,\" Blanck said. \"They can't push off from it. They can't walk around the community.\"\nBlanck said the carbon fiber mold can reduce pain to almost nothing, allowing patients to wear the exoskeleton almost anywhere. In fact, the device may be hard for patients to live without at first.\nOver time, the carbon fiber leg strengthens muscles and joints in legs that patients were originally unable to stand upon.\n\"There are certain types of injuries that can wean away from the device down the line,\" Blanck said. \"They may not [go without it] for running or certain activities or hiking or so on, but they may not always, in some cases, use it for daily activities.\"\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\nImage: Wikimedia Commons\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/10/24/army-exoskeleton-civilians/>