As people grow older, their walking efficiency decreases, posing mobility constraints; researchers at Heidelberg University have put forth a lightweight robotic short, WalkON, to enhance walking efficiency. The device is designed to be worn over regular clothing and could act as an everyday walking aid. Researchers investigated the impact of WalkON by studying older individuals and young adults. Using WalkON reduced the metabolic cost of transport by 17.79% and 10.48% for young and aged, respectively. This is equivalent to removing 10.3 kg for young and 6.3 kg for older adults.
This robotic exoskeleton enhances walking efficiency for older
The weight of the WalkON system is just 2.93 KG