Researchers in South Korea have created a wearable robot that can help paralyzed people walk. With the help of this light weight robot, people paralyzed from the waist down will also be able to climb stairs. Its special thing is that it comes to its user on its own.
Gold medal won with the help of robot
The Exoskeleton Laboratory team of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has prepared this robot. The team said that its aim is to create a robot that can help disabled people in their everyday life. Paralyzed team member Kim Seung-hwan showed a demo of this robot. With the help of the robot, he could walk at a speed of about 3.2 kilometers per hour and was successful in climbing the stairs. With the help of this robot, he won the gold medal in the exoskeleton category of Cybathlon 2024.
What is the most special feature?
Kim said that its most special feature is that it can come closer by walking on its own. This exoskeleton has been named WalkON Suit F1 and it is made of aluminum and titanium. Its weight is about 50 kg and 12 electronic motors have been fitted in it. These motors move imitating the joints of the human body.
Inspiration from the movie Iron Man
The team making the robot got its inspiration from watching the movie Iron Man. Park Jeong-su, a member of the team, said, "After watching the movie Iron Man, I felt that it would be a great thing if I could help people by making such a robot."
How does this robot work?
Many sensors have been installed in it to avoid falling while walking. These sensors monitor more than 1,000 signals every second and predict the user’s next move. Lenses have been installed in its front part, which keep an eye on the surroundings and assess the obstacles on the way. These lenses help the user climb the stairs by measuring the height.
