A wearable "exoskeleton" robot developed in China has attracted widespread attention. Weighing only 2.4 kg, this device reduces the pressure on the knee three to five times when walking and reduces energy consumption by a third when climbing slopes. After testing the device, Xu Zhixiong, a reporter for China News Service (CNS), said: "When I climb, I feel a significant lifting force in my knee joint, which helps lift my leg. "It's very easy to get in and I don't feel any pain in my knees when I walk." According to Reuters, the secret of this device's performance lies in its sensor system and control algorithm. Xiong Yun, founder of the robotics company that manufactures this device in Changsha, explained that the motor is located in the pelvis and sensors in the knee and waist detect the person's intention and movement pattern. When the sensors detect the person's intention to walk, the motor moves the arm connected to the person's knee. This arm exerts an upward force when the leg rises and releases the force when the leg descends.
This system does not require a remote control or preset programs and after taking a few steps it learns the user's walking pattern and adapts to it.