2010년 10월15일 한국전자통신연구원 책임연구원/공학박사 조영조
지난 주 미국 캘리포니아의 버클리바이오닉스라는 회사는 하지마비 환자를 일으켜 세워 걷게 하는 외골격 로봇 ‘이레그스(eLEGS)’의 실용화를 알리는 기자회견을 가졌다. 이 제품을 착용하고 나선 사람은 아만다 복스텔이란 여성으로 18년전 스키사고로 걸을 수 없게 되어 그 후로는 휠체어 신세만 지고 살아 왔었다.
“18년 만에 처음으로 무릎을 펴고 일어섰습니다. 땅에 발뒤꿈치를 대고 무게중심을 옮기며 한 걸음 또 한 걸음 내딛었어요. 너무 자연스러워서 마치 제 몸 같았습니다. 지금까지 휠체어에만 앉아 4피트(120 센티미터)의 키로 사람들의 콧구멍만 바라보며 살아 왔어요. 이제야 세상을 제대로 보게 되었네요.” 그녀는 감격해서 눈시울을 붉히며 말했다.
휠체어 생활을 하는 하지마비 환자들에게 걷는다는 것은 그야말로 꿈같은 이야기이다. 2004년 타개한 영화 슈퍼맨의 주인공 크리스토퍼 리브는 낙마사고로 전신마비가 된 후 자신이 아니더라도 마비환자들에게 걷는 꿈을 이루어 주도록 의학재단을 설립한 이야기는 유명하다. 우리나라에서도 수년전 줄기세포 연구를 통해 하지마비 환자들을 일으켜 걷게 하겠다고 공언했던 황우석 교수는 많은 사람들에게 꿈을 주는 듯 했다가 결국 거짓말로 밝혀져 빈축을 사기도 하였다. 그만큼 기술적으로 어려운 난제인 것이다.
하지마비 환자들의 걷는 꿈은 아직 가시적인 성과들이 미미한 생명과학분야 보다는 먼저 로봇분야에서 이루어질 가능성이 높아 보인다. 혹자는 휠체어를 사용하면 되지 굳이 걸음걸이를 도와주는 로봇이 왜 필요하냐고 반문할지도 모른다. 사람의 모든 신체기관들은 직립보행에 적합하도록 만들어져 있다. 걷지 못하고 휠체어에만 의지하여 이동한다면 운동기관들의 퇴화로 건강을 유지하기 어렵게 되며, 보통 사람들과는 다른 세계의 사람들로 인식되는 심리적인 불안정 문제도 심각하다고 한다. 줄기세포를 통한 척수 복원이 어렵다면 운동을 보조하는 로봇기술을 통해서라도 걷도록 해 주는 것이 정말로 중요한 일인 것이다.
환자들의 보행보조를 위한 외골격 로봇은 이번이 처음은 아니다. 일본 쯔쿠바 대학에서 분사한 사이버다인이란 회사는 ‘HAL’이란 제품을 개발하여 지난해부터 재활병원을 통한 임대 사업을 시작하고 있다고 전해진다. 이스라엘의 아르고메디컬사는 2008년 목발을 활용한 외골격 로봇 ‘ReWalk’의 시제품을 발표하고 미국의 재활병원들을 통해 임상시험을 수행 해 오고 있다. 뉴질랜드의 렉스바이오닉스사는 지난 7월 ‘렉스’로 명명된 로봇다리의 시제품 시연회를 가진바 있다.
우리나라에서도 한국생산기술연구원을 주관기관으로 하여 한국전자통신연구원, 충남대학교 재활병원, 재활공학연구소와 공동으로 하지마비 환자를 위한 외골격 로봇을 2년 전부터 개발 중에 있으며, 필자는 센서를 융합하여 사용자의 보행의도를 감지하는 일을 맡고 있다. 지난해 1차 시제품을 제작하였고 임상시험을 통해 기구부와 센서 기능을 보완한 2차 시제품을 금년 말에 발표할 예정이다.
2008년을 기준으로 우리나라의 지체장애인 수는 130만여명이고 그 중에서 휠체어를 사용하는 장애인은 21만여명에 달하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 인구 200명에 한사람 꼴로 하지마비에 시달리고 있다는 이야기다. 요즈음 연이어 등장하는 외골격 로봇 시제품들을 보면서, 로봇기술이 하지마비 환자들에게 희망을 주고 기적을 일으킬 것이라는 생각에 마음이 흐뭇해진다. 예수님께서 행하신 앉은뱅이를 일으켜 걷게 하신 기적을 연상하면서 말이다.
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