New unpowered exoskeleton boots just made walking a whole lot 'less tiresome'

Researchers have recently developed the unpowered exoskeleton boots that will help people walk more efficiently, as it will reduce the metabolic cost of walking by approximately 7 percent.

The device developed by Carnegie Mellon and North Carolina State researchers can help elderly and people with mobility issues expend less energy during walking, which can be precious for them.

The results were roughly the equivalent of taking off a 10-pound backpack, and are equivalent to savings from exoskeletons that use electrically-powered devices.

The team created an ankle exoskeleton that offloads some of the clutching muscle forces of the calf, reducing the overall metabolic rate.

A mechanical clutch will engage when the foot would be on the ground and disengage when the foot would be in the air, to avoid interfering with toe clearance. This clutch takes over the effort of the calf, producing force without using consuming any energy and thereby reducing the overall metabolic rate.

In the future, the team intends to test the current device with individuals who have a variety of mobility issues to determine what designs might work best for different populations. They are also interested in developing exoskeleton components for the knee and the hip, where they believe they may be able to garner even larger benefits.

The study is published in Nature.