Tag Archives: exoskeleton

This Intelligent Pet Exoskeleton Helps Injured Dogs Relearn Movement on Their Own Terms

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Watching a dog struggle to walk is quietly heartbreaking. Movement, for animals, is not just mobility. It is freedom, confidence, and joy. The Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton was born from this understanding, blending emotional insight with advanced engineering to create a rehabilitation solution that truly listens to the animal it supports.

The project’s inspiration traces back to a news report on prosthetic limbs designed for disabled pets. While well-intentioned, many of these solutions revealed clear shortcomings. They were passive, rigid, and often uncomfortable, offering limited support beyond basic mobility. This realization became deeply personal when the designer cared for their own dog after a hindlimb injury. Seeing firsthand how difficult recovery could be for an animal exposed a larger issue. Modern rehabilitation technology has evolved rapidly for humans, yet animal care continues to rely on simplified, often outdated aids. This gap sparked a mission to extend intelligent, humane rehabilitation into veterinary practice.

Designer: Leijing Zhou

Instead of forcing movement, the Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton focuses on understanding intention. Borrowing principles from active exoskeleton systems used in stroke rehabilitation, the device uses surface electromyographic sensors to read muscle signals from a dog’s healthy forelimb. As the dog initiates movement, these signals are analyzed in real time to predict how the impaired hindlimb should move. The system then activates precise mechanical assistance, synchronizing the injured leg with the dog’s natural gait.

This approach transforms rehabilitation into a cooperative process rather than a mechanical correction. The dog leads, and the technology follows, creating movement that feels natural, fluid, and instinctive. By aligning assistance with intention, the exoskeleton reduces strain, encourages correct gait patterns, and supports faster, more confident recovery.

Personalization is central to the design philosophy. Every dog has a unique body, posture, and injury profile, so the exoskeleton is created using advanced 3D printing based on individual body scans. This ensures a tailored fit that distributes weight evenly and avoids discomfort. Carefully selected materials such as lightweight structural components, soft memory foam padding, and non slip contact surfaces prioritize comfort, stability, and long term wearability. This makes the device suitable not only for clinical rehabilitation but also for everyday use.

Developed between 2023 and March 2025 in Hangzhou, the project required extensive research and experimentation. One of the greatest challenges was interpreting muscle signals in animals, an area with little existing data or standardized methods. Translating raw biological signals into reliable movement predictions demanded repeated field testing, iterative modeling, and close observation of real canine behavior. Equally complex was balancing strength and comfort, designing a structure robust enough to assist movement while remaining gentle and non restrictive.

Ultimately, the Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton represents more than a technical innovation. It reflects a shift in how we think about animal care, recognizing pets not as passive recipients of aid, but as active participants in their own recovery. By merging empathy with intelligent technology, this project restores more than mobility. It protects dignity, independence, and the simple joy of movement.

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Based on sensors in game controllers, this upper-limb wearable robot will help you with your daily chores

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One thing exoskeletons have done right is help with motor rehabilitation. Of course, their size and weight have decreased over time, but most of those available are suitable for rehabilitation, load-bearing assistance, and similar purposes. However, they are not designed for daily wear. Not concentrating on the lower limb, which is a saturated market, a duo of budding South Korean designers has targeted the upper limb; creating a wearable robot that can be worn for daily usage.

It’s called the Sleev. For now, it’s not far beyond the drawing books, but from how and what it’s projected to be built for, its God damn great solution for the purpose. Sleev is designed as a daily upper-limb exosuit (wearable robot). It supports independent arm movement and is effortless to wear and remove: just one hand, no more!

Designers: Youngha Rho and Sungchan Ko

It’s not that we are seeing a robotic assistant for the arm for the first time. The market is flooded with iterations of bulky and inconvenient wearable robots that are designed with a great level of technological input and robotic sensors, but somehow make the wearer feel like a cyborg. With its sleek and lightweight limb, the Sleev is conceptualized to change that for a robotic assistant that you would like to wear. It can be strapped on like any other elbow brace to provide assistance in its movement. In addition to being a crucial option for people recovering from stroke or sports injury, the Sleev (for its design and attractive appearance) will augment daily tasks like lifting and carrying; you will like wearing it when carrying a baby for a long time or doing groceries and have a lot of packets to carry back home.

As a wearable robot conceptualized to integrate exoskeletons into our daily life, the Sleev is also strong and intelligent enough to support with rehabilitation activities. To ensure this, the design is integrated with FMG (force myography), a method that detects movement intentions through muscle pressure. The muscle pressure is different in people based on their gender, height, weight, and age. So, for the data accuracy and for the correct functioning of the wearable robot, this information about the users will be necessary. And a larger database will ensure better results, the designers believe.

Collaborating FMG with IMU sensors, the designers suggest, they can allow the algorithm to know where the user intends to move and help them with it accordingly. Both these sensors are affordable and commonly used in game controllers, so they should not be overly expensive when Sleev can find itself into mass production. Interestingly, it relates its movements based on muscle strength and intention. The Sleev doesn’t need to be worn directly on the skin; users can wear it over a thin innerwear as well and go on with it during their daily activities.

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This pair of hiking pants with adjustable & motorized carbon fiber module lets you climb with less muscle fatigue

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Would it be fair to set out in a pair of robotic pants to cover all 47 miles of the West Coast Trail in Vancouver, British Columbia, in record time without breaking a sweat? You’d say why not, but anyone who’s been there in excruciating pain and sweat will call out cheating. Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to make a record claim with MO/GO on but it may surely be worth bragging.

Exoskeletons and wearable mobility devices have been around for decades. Obviously, the main focus of such devices has been on assisting seniors or those with mobility issues in rehabilitation, to gain strength and independence. But if you have been following us closely, you’d know that there is a new trend on the way. Wearable robots, such as the WIM mobility assist wearable device created by WIRobotics, are being built to assist the healthy strengthen their lower limbs or walk with more confidence and freedom saving up to 20 percent energy.

Designer: Skip x Arc’teryx

Now, MO/GO is a wearable pair of robotic pants conjured up “to support and inspire adventure in a new kind of way.” Short for mountain goat, MO/GO is designed by Skip – a Google’s research and development wing, X, spinout – in collaboration with Arc’teryx, to help people tackle any elevation with less muscle fatigue and body exertion. It “makes you feel up to 30 pounds lighter as you move,” the developers suggest.

Skip is taking pre-orders for the $5,000 MO/GO, right now for a $500 discount. The $5K powered pant is the first of its kind clothing featuring an adjustable boomerang-like carbon fiber module that snaps onto the pants – at the knees and extends over the quadricep and hamstring muscles – to provide up to 40 percent boast to your legs on the way up. It gently supports the legs on the way down, and can snap off effortlessly to be stowed away when you don’t need it.

When you think of putting on something like the MO/GO on your legs, you would be concerned about the weight it would add on. Interestingly, the carbon fiber construction makes it exceptionally lightweight. It weighs only two pounds (with an onboard motor) and is powered by a battery for hours of usage. Charge it once on your way out be rest assured, you’ll make it safely back home no matter the strenuous trail you’re climbing up.

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Developed by former Samsung engineers, this walking assist wearable robot also lets you tone your legs

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Wear it as a harness: fasten the thigh braces and buckle up the fanny pack-like device around your waist and you can be in command of a mobility wearable robot that can assist you walk with better efficiency or provide resistance to your legs so you can add strength to your lower body.

While existing mobility assist robots are made for seniors with leg discomforts or are intended to help the differently abled to move with more freedom; the WIM mobility assist wearable device created by WIRobotics, is designed for younger consumers to walk better and exercise with the new age technique.

Designer: WIRobotics  

WIRobotics is a company formed by former Samsung Electronics robotics engineers with the intent to help people with limited abilities leverage the freedom of movement that new technologies can permit. With the Wearable Mobility WIM robot, the idea is slightly different. Even though it is a device for those who have issues with their legs and have problems walking longer distances, it would also cater to those who spend hours in the gym trying to strengthen their lower body.

Weighing much lighter than most other assist robots on the market, the WIM robot is also slimmer and more compact, but absolutely effective at providing powerful assistance force to the limb. It also analyses the gait of the user – and corrects it – in real-time. It comes with two different use modes: the assist mode, which does what it means – assist the user walking with more confidence and freedom while saving user energy by up to 20 percent. The exercise mode provides resistance – force comparable to walking in water – to the legs of the user for lower body strength.

Since this harness-style wearable exoskeleton is not a typical medical device, it doesn’t look like one. Provided in vibrant orange, electric blue, and subtle gray color options, the exoskeleton for hiking and exercise is designed like a fashion accessory that the Gen Z or even the millennial population wouldn’t mind wearing in their everyday routine.  The robot has a single-motor in the fanny pack-like belt strapped to the front of the waist, while both the thigh extensions have individual actuators. The ergonomics of the robot are maintained by aluminum joints in a plastic body to provide a non-restrictive design that can provide free and natural movement. The entire structure can be completely disassembled for convenience of storage and transportation.

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This $599 Exoskeleton gives your legs Superhuman Powers while helping you save 50% energy

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It isn’t Iron Man’s suit, but it’s still a pretty big augmentation to humans and their capabilities.

The promise of great technology is to make life easy for everyone… the only problem is that a lot of times, it takes YEARS before great technology can become accessible to everyone. EVs were very niche before they weren’t, DARPA (the defense research wing of the US government) played a pivotal role in developing the internet for communication on the front lines in the 1960s before the internet finally became household technology. Cameras were incredibly specialist equipment before they became small enough to fit into a smartphone, and exoskeletons were originally developed for military personnel to give them superhuman strength, before ending up in warehouses to allow workers to lift heavy objects without using all their energy. If you went online, chances are you wouldn’t be able to simply buy an exoskeleton for yourself (or you’d probably end up paying thousands of dollars for it), but the folks at Dnsys are hoping to make the technology accessible to all humans.

The $599 X1 is an exoskeleton that aids with mobility by giving your legs an extra set of mechanical muscles. Powerful enough to reduce the energy you spend walking/running/trekking by a staggering 50% and reduce your load by nearly 83 lbs, the Dnsys X1 runs on a set of 900W motors that output 1.2 horsepower with a top speed of 27km/h (16.7mph), allowing you to walk, climb, and run with more agility and less exertion. The entire device, which straps to your waist and thighs, weighs a paltry 1.6 kilograms (3.5 lbs) and has a battery that offers a range of 25 kilometers, allowing you to push your boundaries further without being restrained by your human limitations.

Designer: Dnsys

Click Here to Buy Now: $599 $1198 (50% off) Hurry! Only 10 left of 890. Raised over $1,000,000.

The X1 hopes to shatter the misconception that exoskeletons just belong in warehouses. Quite like Apple’s Vision Pro became one of the first VR headsets to actually be seen in real society, with people wearing them in cafes and subways, the Dnsys X1 aims at being the exoskeleton for all kinds of outdoor use. You could be an explorer or trekker looking to cover lots of ground, a backpacker trying to walk large distances with a heavy backpack, a photographer looking to navigate an outdoor location with a lot of gear, or just a fitness enthusiast looking to get in your movement while protecting your knees and legs from strain or injuries. The X1 gives your legs a set of helping hands (or helping legs, if you want to switch the idiom), allowing you to move faster, farther, and with much less energy.

The hallmark of the Dnsys X1 is its ultra-lightweight construction, weighing a mere 1.6kg, thanks to the utilization of aerospace-grade aluminum alloy and carbon fiber. This not only ensures durability but significantly reduces weight, making it an unobtrusive companion for any journey. The exoskeleton’s sophisticated motor, the DNA-1, embodies sheer power, delivering 1.2 horsepower and a torque of 50 Nm/kg, which, in simpler terms, is similar to the power performance of a Formula One race car.

Making an exoskeleton isn’t as easy as simply slapping motors onto a body brace. The X1 employs advanced AI algorithms to adapt to the user’s walking pattern, offering instantaneous walking assistance that makes every step feel lighter. This AI innovation, combined with state-of-the-art motion sensors, enables the device to conserve up to 50% of the user’s energy, essentially halving the strain of carrying heavy loads during challenging treks or climbs. Imagine exploring the wild with the ability to walk or run with less fatigue, climb higher, and embark on longer adventures, all while protecting your knees and reducing the risk of physical exertion-related injuries. The X1’s clever design also enables all kinds of movements, aiding you with walking forwards and backwards, sideways, upwards, or even any odd movement that would result from you walking on an uneven path or terrain.

Different modes let you achieve different tasks. A regular mode gives you a maximum range of 25 kilometers (15.5 miles), aiding with load reduction and energy conservation, while a Boost mode, activated simply by pressing a button on the sides, gives you the full effect of the X1’s 1.2 horsepower output. The regular mode is perfect for walking and climbing, while the boost mode is the equivalent of going full throttle, allowing for more machine power that gives you maximum speeds of 27km/h or 16.7mph. Conversely, instead of having the X1 boost your performance, you can even flip to a Workout mode which restrains your walking ability, making you put more effort in. Designed to be the equivalent of training with weights or resistance bands, this mode is for maximizing your exercise, making it perfect for strength training and isokinetic exercise. The resistance mode also helps reduce impact on your knees during downhill walks, helping prevent injuries.

The X1 starts at $599, a massive 50% reduction over its original $1198 retail price. It includes an app that also works to monitor device status in real-time, and track medical-grade health data such as hip joint mobility and step frequency. Each X1 ships with a smart battery capable of kinetic energy recovery (KERS) for high efficiency, a charging dock, and a charging cable. The Dnsys X1 ships globally starting July 2024.

Click Here to Buy Now: $599 $1198 (50% off) Hurry! Only 10 left of 890. Raised over $1,000,000.

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This exoskeleton-like back support lets you lift heavy objects while keeping your back safe

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If your work involves regularly carrying heavy things around, then your back is most likely one of your body parts that suffers. I don’t have a job that does that (does carrying a heavy bag every day count?) and yet I constantly feel all sorts of back aches. Well, maybe I’m just old. In any case, those who work in construction, warehouse production, and other industries where they have to carry heavy objects need to have literal support to help them manage their bones and joints.

Designer: Bebop Design

A Korean studio designed one such product for their client WIRobotics. WIBS is a wearable back support that’s created specifically for those who are involved in labor intensive industries which workers can wear while they’re doing their task or when they’re on a break. The brace was designed to not look so much like a brace but more to look like it’s part of your outfit and will not get in the way of doing your usual tasks. It also looks comfortable enough to regularly wear or at least when you need to have better support for your body.

WIBS is able to provide mechanical support to the user’s posterior, including the back and waist, two of the parts that are affected when you regularly lift heavy objects. While the materials are durable and designed to withstand pressure, they were able to use a soft design to it for the user’s comfort. There is also no need for electricity to use it so you can go around without needing to charge or change any battery. It uses tensioned flexible rubber composite as well as mechanical gears. You can adjust the strength level through an analog controller in the chest area.

This back support device can be adjusted to various sizes depending on the wearer as it has adjustable straps for the perfect fit. Think of it as a posterior brace that will not hinder movements but provide much needed support as you go about your regular tasks that involve lifting and moving heavy objects for a long period of time.

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