Exoskeleton Could One Day Boost Walking Speed of Older Adults

A study in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering found a new ankle exoskeleton developed at Stanford University allowed users to walk an average 42 percent faster than when they simply wore normal shoes, reports Futurity . The device attaches around the shin and into a running shoe, with power provided externally by motors and controlled by an algorithm. The exoskeleton's speed-optimized mode also lowered energy use by about 2 percent per meter traveled, although this reduction varied widely from person to person. The investigators are also intrigued by the possibility of future exoskeleton designs reducing pain caused by weight on joints, or improving balance. "A 40% increase in speed is more than the difference between younger adults and older adults," said Stanford Professor Steve Collins. "So, it's possible that devices like this could not only restore but enhance self-selected walking speed for older individuals and that's something that we're excited to test next."