What's the most popular video posted by a university? It's paralyzed UC Berkeley student Austin Whitney walking at his graduation in May with the help of an "exoskeleton." From the May 15 Chronicle:
A team of UC Berkeley mechanical engineers...have been developing a computerized body brace called an exoskeleton they believe will be good enough to transform thousands of wheelchair users into walking people in a couple of years, and for an affordable price.
Whitney, a history and political science major, has worked with the team in their lab for nine months, testing, advising and preparing for the machine's premiere - and his own, as a graduate on two legs.
On Saturday, as more than 2,000 seniors in caps and gowns stood beneath chilly gray skies waiting for their names to be called, Whitney remained behind the stage until nearly all had shaken the chancellor's hand. Then, his yellow history honors ribbon flapping against the exoskeleton strapped around his gown, he wheeled his chair up onto the stage, accompanied by members of the engineering team.
The video's No. 1 status was determined by The Chronicle of Higher Education and YouTube, which compiled a top-ten list from the YouTube EDU channel.