Running and walking are simple human activities, but now scientists have found a way to make these tasks even easier for people. Scientists have basically developed a robotic superhero suit, known as an exosuit, that allows humans to spend less energy while walking and running. This exosuit, or perhaps more accurately “exoshorts,” would let wearers walk or run greater distances without getting tired. The exosuit, which is designed using textile components, helps specifically with gait-specific hip extension during running and walking. It also has a mobile actuation system on the lower back that’s controlled by an algorithm detecting changes from walking to running and vice versa. That the metabolic rates of subjects wearing the exosuit are reduced by 9.3 percent when walking and 4 percent when running compared to when they did these activities without the robot shorts. It worked well in a range of different situations, including indoor treadmill walking and running, uphill walking, various running speeds, and over ground outdoor testing. While the metabolic reductions found are modest, study demonstrates that it is possible to have a portable wearable robot assist more than just a single activity, helping to pave the way for these systems to become ubiquitous in our lives.
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