Robotic clothing offers older adults a little extra lift

I’m Bennett Blackwood.

What if getting out of a chair came with a little extra lift? Researchers at the Technical University of Munich are testing soft robotic clothing that helps people stand and walk. Motor-powered artificial tendons assist the hips, while machine learning helps time that support to each movement. Ten older adults took part in the study. With assistance switched on, walking used about fourteen percent less energy on average than with the same suit switched off. It's early research, not a product ready for everyone. But helping people move while still feeling in control? That's a future worth working toward.

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