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US Mountaineer, Local Guide Dead after Avalanches Hit Tibetan Mountain

Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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US Mountaineer, Local Guide Dead after Avalanches Hit Tibetan Mountain

Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

American mountaineer Anna Gutu and a Nepalese guide Mingmar Sherpa were confirmed Sunday dead after avalanches struck the slopes of a Tibetan mountain, while two others remained missing, according to Chinese media reports.
The avalanches struck Tibet’s Mount Shishapangma on Saturday afternoon at 7,600 (24,934 ft) and 8,000 meters (26,246 ft) in altitude, according to state-owned Xinhua News Agency.
Two others, American climber Gina Marie Rzucidlo and a Nepalese mountain guide Tenjen Sherpa went missing, the news agency said.
The avalanches also seriously injured Nepalese mountain guide Karma Geljen Sherpa, who was escorted down the mountain by rescuers and is currently in stable condition.
A total of 52 climbers from various countries including the US, Britain, Japan, and Italy were attempting to summit the mountain when the avalanches hit, Xinhua said.
Climbing activities have since been suspended due to snow conditions.
Shishapangma is the 14th-highest mountain in the world, at over 8,027 meters (26,335 ft) above sea level.

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South Korean Team Develops ‘Iron Man’ Robot that Helps Paraplegics Walk

Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P
Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P
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South Korean Team Develops ‘Iron Man’ Robot that Helps Paraplegics Walk

Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P
Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P

South Korean researchers have developed a lightweight wearable robot that can walk up to paraplegic users and lock itself onto them, enabling them to walk, manoeuvre obstacles and climb staircases.

The Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said their goal is to create a robot that seamlessly integrates into the daily lives of individuals with disabilities.

Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the KAIST team, demonstrated the prototype which helped him walk at a speed of 3.2 kph (2 mph), climb a flight of stairs and take sideways steps to slide into a bench.

"It can approach me wherever I am, even when I’m sitting in a wheelchair, and be worn to help me stand up, which is one of its most distinct features," Reuters quoted Kim.

The powered exoskeleton, named WalkON Suit F1, features aluminium and titanium composition to weigh in at 50 kg (110 lb), and is powered by 12 electronic motors that simulate the movements of human joints while walking.

Park Jeong-su, another member of the KAIST team, said he was inspired by the movie "Iron Man". "After watching Iron Man, I thought it would be great if I can help people with a robot in real life."

To ensure the user's balance while walking, the robot is equipped with sensors on its soles and in the upper body that monitor 1,000 signals per second and anticipate the user's intended movements.

Lenses on the front of the robot work as eyes which analyse its surroundings, identify the height of stairs and detect obstacles to compensate for the lack of sensory ability of users with complete paraplegia, Park said.

Kim Seung-hwan won the gold medal while wearing the WalkON Suit F1 in the exoskeleton category at Cybathlon 2024, opens new tab, which saw developers with varying physical disabilities demonstrate assistive robots in eight categories.

"I wanted to tell my son .... that I also used to able to walk. I wanted to share a diverse range of experiences with him," said Kim.