Technology that keeps us moving naturally is the juice for better living.

Wearable technology and robotics have brought many exciting and helpful innovations to our work and lives. Yet the most exciting developments – adaptive and protective clothes made from smart fabrics, the witty humanoid home concierge – remain more science fiction than science. Bringing the two together, however, offers an exciting way forward that’s ready to explore right now.

Wearable robotics have already been commercialized in industrial exoskeletons, which some companies are introducing to give workers increased strength and endurance when performing physically demanding tasks. There are exciting developments in prosthetics, too, empowering specialists to restore not only the appearance of a limb such as a hand or arm, but also the strength and fine dexterity.

While industrial applications and cutting-edge medical research have driven early development, consumerization can offer an exciting new avenue. It could enhance the quality of life for many of us, especially as we age. I may have seen the beginning of this shift recently, at an outdoor music festival in the UK. One elderly reveler brought a personal exoskeleton to help get around the outdoor venue and cope with the rural terrain. I hope we will see more of this in the future, and that this kind of assistance can become broadly accessible.

For this to happen, of course, the issue of affordability needs to be addressed. Some companies are now offering solutions priced in the $40,000-$50,000 range. Although clearly beyond the means of many, I would suggest it’s accessible to the privileged not-so-few, and a point at which a large consumer market can soon be viable. As an alternative to home adaptations, such as a stairlift, elevator, bathroom hoist or other adapted furniture, the cost of an exoskeleton compares favorably to the quality-of-life improvement. And the exoskeleton can provide help whenever and wherever it’s needed, at any time and in any location; not only, say, on the stairs or in the bedroom.

As we think in terms of exoskeletons that are worn continuously to support daily living, or temporarily to aid recovery from injury or illness, we can imagine a role for smaller, modular wearables. They may be designed to assist a specific joint, such as a knee or hip. Even more affordable, comfortable to wear and easy to use, these could appeal to a vast and diverse market, ranging from health authorities to individuals seeking therapeutic solutions. It’s another route for wearable robotics to enter the mainstream.

All this needs power, of course, and product developers must seek to avoid bulky and heavy batteries that could restrict movement and impair balance. Range anxiety will not affect exoskeleton wearers in the same way as EV drivers. A dead battery will turn an exoskeleton into a dead weight, however. Stopping to recharge our legs during a shopping trip is inconvenient. Recharging during a hike is not an option. Clearly, usability will improve with lighter and more energy-dense battery chemistries, improved battery construction and more efficient power modules and motors.

On the other hand, the prospects for computerized control are fascinating. The functional symmetry between the human nervous system and artificial neural networks suggests that we can leverage AI to generate complex motor-driving signals and closely replicate the body’s natural movements. Perhaps, even more intriguing, is the opportunity to apply reinforcement learning to introduce adaptability and personalize the system’s responses according to individual neural signatures. We can create systems that feel like a completely natural part of the wearer’s own nervous system.

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is needed to connect the high-level intent with low-level actuation. So far, BCI trials have demonstrated telepathic control of digital devices for browsing the Internet and interacting with applications, such as word processing, and have enabled people with paralysis to control bionic limbs and regain movement. Although speed and precision are still lacking, as far as natural movement is concerned, these are sure to improve. The BCI, as conceptualized, is effective and is now evolving quickly as the place where biological signals from the brain’s motor cortex get translated into synthetic control signals for the exoskeleton’s electric machinery. With faster response also comes the potential for active safety features, such as fall prevention, which detect the early stages of falling indicated by signals from inertial sensors and selectively apply force to restore balance.

We’ve often talked about the many opportunities for technology to help us handle the healthcare and quality-of-life challenges associated with the world’s aging population – to improve standards of care and non-intrusively supervise independent living. By integrating robotics, we can create wearables that go beyond simply monitoring and tracking and instead provide physical assistance to active and fulfilling lives. We can now restore mobility lost through accident or illness. And we can maintain movement later into life to counter the debilitating effects of aging. In “The Well-Lived Life,” Dr. Gladys McGarey asserts that the two things needed for living are movement and juice, meaning our inner life force or the energy we need to engage with the world. Aided by technology that can keep us moving naturally for longer, perhaps we can help ourselves to keep finding the juice.

Alun Morgan is technology ambassador at Ventec International Group (venteclaminates.com); alun.morgan@ventec-europe.com. His column runs monthly.

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