Scientists build lightweight robotic shorts for walking and running

Scientists at Harvard University have built an innovative robotic exosuit that can assist in both walking and running.

The exosuit weighs just 11 pounds and has been built using soft textile material. It can detect whether the wearer is walking or running with the help of sensors and accordingly provide the relevant robotic assistance, a report in Scientific American notes.

It reduces the metabolic cost - a measure of oxygen consumption while breathing and while walking by 9 per cent and of running by 4 per cent. The robotic exosuit prototype is believed to prove useful for military personnel, in emergencies, and medical rehabilitation.