South Korean researchers have developed a lightweight wearable robot that can help paraplegic users walk, climb stairs, and maneuver obstacles. The robot, designed by the Exoskeleton Laboratory at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), is made to seamlessly integrate into the daily lives of people with disabilities.
Kim Seung-hwan, a paraplegic member of the KAIST team, demonstrated the prototype by walking at 3.2 km/h (2 mph), climbing stairs, and taking sideways steps to sit on a bench. He highlighted that the robot’s unique feature is its ability to approach users in a wheelchair, lock onto them, and help them stand.
The robot, called the WalkON Suit F1, weighs 50 kg (110 lb) and is made from aluminium and titanium. It is powered by 12 electronic motors that mimic human joint movements while walking. The suit has sensors in its soles and upper body that track 1,000 signals per second to anticipate the user’s movements and maintain balance.
The robot’s front lenses act as eyes, analyzing surroundings, detecting obstacles, and identifying stairs, which helps users with complete paraplegia, who lack sensory abilities, navigate their environment. Park Jeong-su, another KAIST team member, was inspired by the movie “Iron Man” to create a robot that could assist real-life users.
Kim Seung-hwan won a gold medal at Cybathlon 2024 in the exoskeleton category while wearing the WalkON Suit F1. The competition allowed developers with physical disabilities to showcase assistive robots. Kim shared his emotional experience, expressing his wish to tell his son that he once could walk and share a variety of life experiences with him.
