Robotic shorts help seniors walk better and are ready for real-world testing to simplify daily movement.
Researchers from Heidelberg University, now operating at the Technische Universität München (TUM), have introduced WalkON. This new assistive technology aims to enhance the walking efficiency of older adults and those with limited mobility. Detailed in a Nature Machine Intelligence publication, WalkON features a pair of soft robotic shorts designed to aid hip flexion during walking.
This initiative is part of a larger research effort under the consortia SMARTAGE and HEIAGE, which are dedicated to advancing digital technology and intelligent assistive systems for older people.
The main goal of the team’s recent research was to create a lightweight, soft robotic system designed to enhance walking efficiency for older adults in everyday environments. Importantly, this device is intended to resemble clothing and remain unobtrusive, effectively improving user mobility without restricting movement.
The result of their efforts, WalkON, comprises soft and lightweight robotic shorts that support hip movements necessary for swinging the legs forward during walking. This design helps simplify walking for frail individuals and those with limited mobility, ensuring the device is neither bulky nor intrusive.
In preliminary tests that included younger and older adults, the WalkON shorts significantly reduced the energy users needed to walk. The team’s results suggest that this system could be a beneficial technology for enhancing mobility in daily environments.
The primary benefit of the WalkON system is its ability to enhance mobility without causing discomfort to users, which could greatly encourage its broad adoption. The team is now looking to expand on their initial findings by conducting additional tests to evaluate their system under more demanding conditions.
The researchers are set to distribute multiple WalkON devices to the Geriatronics Center in Germany, where older adults will use them while walking up hills or navigating flights of stairs. This testing will enable the team to evaluate the system’s effectiveness across various environments and mobility challenges.
Reference: Enrica Tricomi et al, Soft robotic shorts improve outdoor walking efficiency in older adults, Nature Machine Intelligence (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-024-00894-8.
