Yuri ChekalinWalking is a valuable form of exercise, but for many people it’s a challenge, whether because of aging, illness or muscle weakness.
That’s why South Korean robotics company WIRobotics created WIM, a robotic assist device you strap around your waist and legs. It reduces the energy needed to walk by about 20 percent, potentially allowing walkers to go farther and feel less tired.
The A.I. technology analyzes gait and predicts your movements, becoming “smarter” over time and giving you feedback on your performance.
Whereas other wearable robots are designed to meet industrial and medical needs, WIM was developed for the general public to use purely when walking for exercise, the company’s CEOs Younbaek Lee and Yongjae Kim explain in a press release.
The entire device weighs 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) and folds up to the size of a clutch purse. WIM can also be used in an exercise mode, providing resistance similar to walking in water, and targeting specific muscles.
The product will hit the market In the upcoming months.
