Advances in exoskeleton tech may provide answers for enhancing mobility

At 60 years of age, Liu Na has always loved sports. However, in recent years, every time she goes hiking, she has increasingly felt that her knees and legs are no longer as strong as when she was younger.

Not long ago, during a trial experience event at Duishan Park in Tianjin, she put on an exoskeleton device for the first time.

"I was a little worried at first. I thought this thing would be particularly heavy," Liu said.

But after she put it on and started climbing, she quickly found that her legs seemed to be gently lifted by a mild force.

"Walking became noticeably easier, as if I had regained the feeling of my youth," she said.

Today, exoskeleton devices that once only appeared in science fiction films are gradually entering ordinary people's outdoor sports and daily lives.

Qiu Xiaoning, general manager of Tianjin Industrial Research Technology Development Co, said the newly developed exoskeleton weighs just 2.4 kilograms and can be folded for storage.

To reduce the burden of wearing the device, the research and development team used 3K carbon fiber to build the force arm structure, allowing the device to maintain stable power output while remaining lightweight.

"When I first saw the device, I thought it would definitely be heavy," Liu said. "But after wearing it for a while, I gradually forgot it was there."

During uphill climbs and long-distance walks, the exoskeleton can automatically adjust its power output according to the body's movements. When the wearer starts to go uphill, lifts a leg or accelerates, the device rapidly senses the change in motion and provides corresponding assistance.

The research and development team at Tianjin Industrial Research Technology Development Co explained that the core lies in an "adaptive system".

"You don't need to consciously coordinate with it; it will actively adapt to your pace," said Li Yue, an electronic control algorithm engineer involved in the exoskeleton's development.

Behind this system is an algorithm framework of "large model with small model" built on the gait data of Chinese people.

The so-called "large model" corresponds to general data on height, stride length and gait patterns of a large number of Chinese people, while the "small model" refines the differences between individuals.

With the help of multidimensional sensors and real-time algorithms, the device can complete motion recognition and gait synchronization within 30 milliseconds.

This exoskeleton device will be showcased at the 2026 World Intelligence Expo in Tianjin, which is scheduled to take place at the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Tianjin) from Thursday to Sunday. The event is expected to attract over 700 exhibitors and will see the unveiling of more than 200 innovative achievements and research reports.

Globally, exoskeleton devices are also gradually moving from laboratories to more everyday application scenarios.

In the past, such equipment was primarily used in military, industrial or medical rehabilitation fields. However, in recent years, with advances in lightweight motors, artificial intelligence recognition and wearable technologies, outdoor assisted movement has emerged as a promising new direction.

Several international brands have begun applying technologies such as artificial intelligence terrain recognition and adaptive power systems to mountaineering and hiking scenarios.

For instance, an outdoor exoskeleton device named Vigx Pi6 can analyze ground conditions in advance via an AI terrain camera and dynamically adjust power assistance accordingly.

Another product, the Hypershell X Ultra, is capable of switching modes to adapt to different environments including snow, sand and uphill climbs.

Meanwhile, the R&D team at Tianjin Industrial Research Technology Development Co focuses more on the core question of whether ordinary people are actually willing to wear such devices on a daily basis.

"Many exoskeletons have powerful functions, but average people won't go out carrying a heavy device every day," said Qiu. "What we aim to create is a product that can truly integrate into daily life."

Currently, this exoskeleton has completed research and finalization and entered small-batch trial production.

The R&D team has conducted tests in settings such as parks and nursing homes, and plans to further open up experience opportunities at Tianjin's Panshan Scenic Area.

For the development team, outdoor sports are just the starting point.

As population aging deepens and rehabilitation demand continues to grow, it is hoped exoskeletons will further expand into senior care, medical treatment and community services in the future.

In clinical rehabilitation applications, exoskeletons have been widely used for gait training of patients with hemiplegia, paraplegia and stroke.

Developed by the Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration at Tianjin University, the "Shengong" series has become one of the most representative achievements in the field of brain-computer interface exoskeletons both domestically and globally. Among them, "Shengong-Shenxing" was officially launched at the 2024 World Intelligence Expo in June 2024, and its innovative walking assistance technology has broken the long-standing international monopoly in the traditional electromyography-driven exoskeleton sector.

Tianjin University's "Shengong" series of exoskeletons have also creatively integrated noninvasive brain-computer interfaces with exoskeleton technology. The developed devices have provided rehabilitation training for more than 3,000 stroke patients in local hospitals in Tianjin and trial services for the elderly in communities.

According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, by the end of 2025, the population in China aged 60 and over had reached 323.38 million, accounting for 23 percent of the total population. On Sept 20, 2022, Wang Haidong, director-general of the National Health Commission's department of aging and health, said at a news conference that the population aged 60 and over is expected to exceed 400 million by around 2035, accounting for more than 30 percent of the total population, marking China's entry into the severe aging stage.

A growing number of people are beginning to rethink a fundamental question: Can people continue to walk and move freely as they grow old? Embodied intelligence products such as exoskeletons may offer a new answer.

Meng Jiarui contributed to this story.