Canadian tech company helps children with disabilities walk for the first time

A Canadian tech company and an Ottawa pediatric care centre teamed up to offer kids with mobility challenges a once in a lifetime opportunity to take their very first steps.

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Mississauga-based Trexo Robotics has created a robotic training device for kids with disabilities to help them improve their walking patterns while increasing their strength and endurance.

Inside On the Ball Pediatric in Ottawa's west end on Sunday, clients and families had the chance to try out the technology, known as the Trexo Home.

For Bridget O'Neill's parents, this was their first time seeing their daughter walk on her own.

"She really enjoyed it," said her father, Mike O'Neill.

"We feel very fortunate such technology exists and to be able to see it in person is a great opportunity."

Bridget was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, but thanks to the technology, she's one of dozens of children given the chance to walk.

"Accessibility is always a question when you're talking about new technologies in the space of disability impairments." said Cory Schneider, who works at Trexo.

"It's really just about getting here, getting it into as many people's hands across Canada."

Three quarters of the kids who came to try out the technology are clients of the pediatric care centre.

"The most important work happens at home every day. Those kiddos have to practice." said On the Ball's owner and physiotherapist Liane Norman.

"They have to do thousands of steps per day that we can't do, so having the technology to do that is amazing."

The team works with most of the children on a weekly basis and says they were emotional seeing the smiles on the kids' faces

"Some of the kiddos that were here, it was their first time walking and even I was a little bit emotional and got touched by some of the families that were here. It's such a great tool for those kiddos." Norman said.

Trexo has helped children reach a collective milestone of over 100 million steps. Some of their robots are being used at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and other are being used at homes in Ottawa.

Schneider adds that while his day consists of lots of meetings, being out in the community and sharing their product is what makes his job special.

"Coming to these events and seeing people walk for the first time and seeing parents or sometimes grandparents see their child or grandchild walk for the first time is by far the best part of my job," he said.