AI-Enabled Iron Man Boots Could Help People With Limited Mobility
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Talk about a new step forward: Stanford engineers have developed robotic boots that help you walk faster with less effort. Equipped with a motor, the boots use artificial intelligence to provide a personalized boost that’s just right for whoever is wearing them. Twenty years in the making, the boots represent the latest advance in exoskeleton technology, wearable devices that work with the user to provide greater strength and endurance. Kind of like a real-life Iron Man suit. Technology like this could be used to help people with limited mobility, like older adults or those with disabilities. But the challenge has been figuring out how to tailor these devices to each person.
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@pratiksha The researchers call it "human-in-the-loop optimization." The boots learn not only a person’s stride length and speed, but also their metabolic rate and energy use. They also measure ankle motion and force. The results: A person can walk 9% faster and spend 17% less energy when wearing them. That’s roughly the boost you’d expect from taking off a 30-pound backpack.