As people grow older, their walking efficiency decreases, posing mobility constraints and affecting independence and overall quality of life. Therefore, researchers are keen to design solutions that enhance mobility, and wearable devices are a potential solution in robotics.
However, such robotic wearable devices are confined to laboratories due to their weight and size. Several studies are working on deriving lightweight solutions.
In those efforts, researchers at Heidelberg University have put forth a pair of robotic shorts, WalkON, designed to enhance walking efficiency for older individuals by assisting hip flexion. The device is designed to be worn over regular clothing and could act as an everyday walking aid.
WalkON features one motor per leg, each wrapping up an artificial tendon on a spool (35 mm diameter). The weight of the system is 2.93 KG and distributed at the level of the user’s center of mass to minimize the impact of the extra mass. WalkON is attached to the body with a compliant textile structure.
“The primary goal of this technology is to enhance the autonomy and walking energy efficiency for its users, with a particular focus on providing support to older individuals.” says the study.
The hip joint plays a vital role in activities like ground clearance or walking up stairs. The hip joint especially emerges as critical in advancing age. WalkON eases the efforts by using an artificial tendon-driven design to support the propagation of upward leg movement. The portable and lightweight design offers users a natural leg movement pattern.
Moreover, the study has exhibited that WalkON can reduce the metabolic cost of walking compared with unassisted walking. The metabolic cost of walking is the amount of metabolic energy required to cover a unit of distance.
Researchers investigated the impact of WalkON by studying older individuals and young adults. Youngsters were asked to go to an outdoor uphill 500 m hiking trail, and the study found that WalkON reduced the metabolic cost of transport by 17.79%. Additionally, the participants reported higher control over their movements with WalkON.
Depression and obesity linked to greater likelihood of hip pain
Similarly, walking on a flat outdoor 400 m track, the aged reduced their metabolic cost by 10.48% when using WalkON.
“WalkON has demonstrated to improve the energy efficiency of walking in a technology assessment with young individuals and an efficacy study with older adults, contributing to enhanced mobility. In trials with young participants, WalkON facilitated energy savings of 17.79% on average compared with walking with no assistance, whereas in older adults we observed an average decrease in the cost of transport of 10.48%”
“In more practical terms, these savings are the equivalent of removing 10.3 kg and 6.3 kg from the waist for young and older adults, respectively.”
Journal Reference
- Tricomi, E., Missiroli, F., Xiloyannis, M., Lotti, N., Zhang, X., Stefanakis, M., Theisen, M., Bauer, J., Becker, C., & Masia, L. (2024). Soft robotic shorts improve outdoor walking efficiency in older adults. Nature Machine Intelligence, 1-11. DOI: 10.1038/s42256-024-00894-8
