Federal funds help medical breakthroughs

More than $13 million is being invested by the federal government into medical technologies to help people with severe disabilities walk again and sufferers of chronic pain.

The fund manager of the $500 million Biomedical Translation Fund will invest $5 million into the Rex Bionics company to develop a hands-free robotic device to assist in rehabilitation.

The same amount will be given to a company to help makers of smart medical devices, with $3.3 million to Saluda Medical for the development of technology to help sufferers of chronic back pain.

Health Minister Greg Hunt says money from the fund, which sees government dollars matched by private equity, provides a bridge between the lab and patients.

"This vital funding will support researchers when they need it most--for clinical testing, developing prototypes and other requirements before a high potential product or service can come on the market," he said on Monday.

Mr Hunt witnessed first hand Rex Bionics 'exoskeleton', a device helping wheelchair bound people to walk, at the announcement at Parliament House in Canberra.