Standing upright in a robotic exoskeleton earlier this month, Airdrie’s Ryan Straschnitzki demonstrated the hands-free device publicly for the first time — and said the experience left him feeling hopeful.
Developed by Human in Motion Robotics Inc., XoMotion is the world’s most advanced self-balancing, hands-free robotic exoskeleton. Synaptic is the first clinic in Canada to bring XoMotion into active treatment—making cutting-edge tech more accessible and redefining what's possible pic.twitter.com/4WRCLtaoq5
— Ryan Straz (@rstraz_) June 6, 2025
The former Humboldt Broncos player, paralyzed from the chest down in the 2018 bus crash that killed 16 people and injured 13 others, had practiced in the device ahead of the demo. But this was the first time he used it in front of the media and staff at Synaptic Neuro Rehabilitation Centre in Calgary.
“This one was kind of cool,” Straschnitzki said. “It was hands-free, and this device was kind of moving me and then allowing me to take steps, and I was controlling it for the first time.”
He described the moment as “exciting” and said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“I have come to terms with it,” he said. “And really understood what my role is now — to continue using it and get more comfortable.”
The ability to stand hands-free — without using his arms for balance — struck him immediately.
“Being in a chair, you’re sitting all the time, so to be able to stand hands free and not have to worry about keeping the body weight up with your arms... I think it's super exciting and just allowed me to stay hopeful for the future.”
The moment he picked up a hockey stick was the one that brought the past into focus.
“That was kind of the first time I brought the memories back,” he said. “But like I said, it just—it allows me to remain hopeful.”
Exoskeletons like XoMotion, designed for use by individuals with spinal cord injuries or neurological conditions, are powered by motors and sensors that guide the body through repeated, controlled movements.
According to a June 5 blog post on Synaptic’s website, this approach helps stimulate neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire after injury — while also improving strength, circulation, and mental well-being.
XoMotion is described in the same blog post as “the next generation of robotic exoskeletons,” designed to move naturally with the body, especially at the hips. It adjusts to a user’s steps in real time and operates hands-free, allowing clients to walk without crutches or external supports.
Straschnitzki said the exoskeleton did the balance work for him.
“This device is actually meant to balance you on your own, so it did all the work for me, so I didn’t really have to worry about that.”
While the experience was hopeful, Straschnitzki said the device is still limited to in-clinic use and not available for personal or daily use.
“They’re not in those stages yet for individuals to have them or use them on their own,” he said. “This is like stage one of who knows when, right?”
“For now, this one will remain at Synaptic in clinic for practice,” he said.
When he was first injured in 2018, Straschnitzki said this kind of technology wasn’t even on the radar.
“I didn’t know that this stuff existed when the accident happened,” he said. “To be able to try it now, see what’s out there, and see how every day there’s something new coming out — or at least we’re striving toward something new — I think is super exciting.”
He said the first time he tried the device, he didn’t know what to expect. “But the more I got comfortable with the device, I thought of all the possibilities that could be done with it,” he said.
“It just helps push that needle forward,” he added. “Showcasing it to the world via social media allows those opportunities for people to notice this, and then maybe it sparks interest from other companies that might want to follow in these footsteps to create their own exoskeletons.”
Off the track, Straschnitzki’s story is also playing out on screen.
He said filming We Were Broncos, a six-part docuseries airing on AMI, gave him a different way to process what he’s experienced since the crash.
“I think it'll allow more stories to be told,” he said. “Hopefully a season two moving forward.”
The show, which documents his rehab and path toward the Paralympics, wasn’t always easy to watch.
“I never really liked watching myself on TV,” he said. “So to try and force myself to watch this show has been hard, but I'm glad that people are enjoying it.”
He said that telling his story publicly, both on camera and in the clinic, is a way to stay focused — and make space for others to see what’s possible.
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