Some insight into how it works: This is what's called a "hip exoskeleton". The motors assist you in raising your leg -- hip extension. That's all they do.<p>The elderly are somewhat aided by this sort of thing, and it can help people hike over uphill slopes and flat land, but it's not magic -- and as it doesn't assist with knee extension, it's not much help if you plan on climbing lots of stairs.<p>These things have been popular in China for years, and HyperShell, which is headquartered in China and shares tech with DJI, is a slick Western-facing wrapper over those core designs.
There was another brand that went through Kickstarter recently:<p><a href="https://dnsys.ai/" rel="nofollow">https://dnsys.ai/</a><p>I have one of their units. It definitely assists with hiking in the standard modes and the "aqua mode" on the device does increase resistance. As an able-bodied person who hikes for sport, I don't tend to use it much. Though I sometimes throw it on with aqua mode for some added resistance for smaller hikes.
That's pretty cool, I didn't know this type of stuff was available to consumers. The reviews on their site seem really enthusiastic, lots of older folks and mobility-restricted folks seem extremely pleased with the product and post action videos. Can't wait to see where this technology goes by the time I need it.
I'm aware this isn't a full body suit but I can't help but remember the scene from Iron Man 2 where one of the alternate suits does a full 180 with an operator inside it.
17.5 km range. So five miles out and five miles back. So like a three hour hike. Anyone should be able to do that without a friction-burn- causing Roboleg attachment.<p>I guess if it meant I could bring my paraplegic neighbor hiking it would be cool.
My use case would be closer to Baron Harkonnen's suspensors. There may be a greater market for exoskeletons for the disabled than for athletes. And far more insurance dollars to capture. And then there's the potential to create more disabled athletes. I live next to a designated wilderness area that you have to be quite fit to enjoy. I hope when mechanical suits become available the will be legal to use there, making these places accessible to more of us.
Apalled at the lack of empathy around here. This is clearly a solution for people with affected mobility. Just imagine that one last hike with your grandfather.
Battery energy density has come a long way but I have a hard time believing a 400g battery can do much at 800w (even just peak) for long. Moving large masses like human bodies requires a lot of energy.<p>The ergonomics of this design look much less likely to snag and get in the way than other powered exoskeletons I've seen though. Replace the electrical motor and battery with a chemical energy system (internal combustion, or even just hydrogen peroxide decomposition on silver catalyst) and this could go a long way (but with higher response latency, much higher noise, and increased control complexity).
You're only shifting the problem somewhere else!<p>Either your whole body gets capable of walking the distance, or you'll assist a part of it and wear out another part.
Kinda cool but needs arm assist, most menial tasks fail due to tiring upper body strength.<p>For example, unloading trucks, carrying plaster boards etc. I would kill to have one of these (for arms) the last time I unloaded 50 acoustic plasterboards @ 60kg each in the last office reno.<p>The truck driver gave me a hand and yeah he was a bit tired but me, I was dead. My bones hurt.
This has higher output that my 750W peak, 500W sustained bike, and it gets applied at what is probably a better point in the gear train (pedals rather than hub) for optimum output when dealing with really steep hills.
Reminds me of those leg things you can equip onto Sam, to help him walk faster or carry more load, in Death Stranding.<p>We're always just a few years out from wacky Kojima world.
'How do I update the software on my exoskeleton?' is the fun line of the day I think; I bet that can be a pretty 'interesting' update.
It's a lot cheaper than I was expecting.
As someone getting achier as I age, I can see that type of thing might come in handy in a few more years.
Could be good to assist the disabled and elderly. Interested to see testing.
Marketed like this as consumer product for enjoying nature, grotesque. So much wrong with garbage like this.
i like how its made for rich people with loads of hype consumerism hiking gear so they can go LARP in the woods away from their email job for 3 hours, and not helping people with paralysis or the elderly. that's cool and good.