“Our foundation is committed to being the spark behind a movement to help those who are paralyzed move and walk again.”

                                                                                                 – Amanda Boxtel, Founder and Executive Director

A letter from our founder:

On February 27th, 1992 I shattered four vertebrae while downhill skiing. An electric current ricocheted through my legs, and I lost all movement and sensation below my pelvis. I was paralyzed. Two weeks later, as I lay in a hospital bed, a young doctor strode into my room and spoke words that resonated in every cell of my body: “Amanda, you’ll never walk again.”

After more than two decades of paralysis and a journey across continents, my pursuit has been one of spirit-mind-body transformation. In seeking the best quality of life, I have learned firsthand how important it is for the neuromuscular system to stay active.

We are made for mobility. The longer a person sits, the greater the risk for joint contractures, muscle atrophy, osteoporosis and pressure sores. Over time, limited mobility can be socially isolating too. My experiences have convinced me that having the opportunity to regain mobility and walk should be seen as a human right. Prepare your body today. Technology is augmenting human potential like never before. Every person deserves access to innovative technology to enjoy a better quality of life. Sharing expands possibilities.

On October 19, 2015 we officially launched our local Mobility Program for Aspen/Snowmass and Roaring Fork Valley residents, designed to help individuals who have mobility impairments to regain motility with the assistance of the Galileo side-alternating neuromuscular training systems (tilt table and smart dumbbell) and a bionic exoskeleton suit (EksoGT, manufactured by Ekso Bionics). We have since acquired additional advanced technologies to remain on the forefront of technologies. Such equipment includes, but is not exclusive to, an Indego exoskeleton, a Keeogo Dermoskeleton, and The NewGait wearable harness system.

The goal of our program is to provide access to this cutting-edge technology, which is typically cost prohibitive, to enhance neuro-recovery and quality of life for individuals who have neurological disorders or mobility impairments. The program enables such individuals to exercise in an inclusive health club environment that promotes wellbeing. We are building community. One of the most fulfilling aspects of this entire initiative is to see that locals from the Roaring Fork Valley participate for next-to-nothing. Our program is fully funded through community support and donations to Bridging Bionics Foundation.

Join us in celebrating the power of human ingenuity to uplift the human spirit and help our locals regain mobility. Walk with us.

Amanda Boxtel
Founder & Executive Director
Bridging Bionics Foundation

Amanda Boxtel: Walking 2.0: Humanizing Machines with Functionality, Design, & Beauty

TED Talk by Amanda Boxtel. TedCity 2.0 Michelin salon, Chengdu, China, November 2014

WALKING 2.0 by Amanda Boxtel
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND Magazine, JULY/AUGUST 2015

For the first time in the history of assisted movement, there is a mobility option beyond standard wheelchairs and unpowered orthotics: the bionic exoskeleton suit.