New Robotic Exoskeleton May Allow People with Paraplegia To Walk

TaiwanPlus News

Partially inspired by the "Iron Man" movies, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology is testing its new robotic exoskeleton that may allow people with paraplegia, including one of its own lead researchers, to stand and walk.

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00:00Kim Sung-hwan is a researcher of robotics in South Korea.

00:05And as a person with paraplegia, he could be said to have particular skin in the game

00:09in his field of study.

00:11After years of work, he and his team may have reached a new breakthrough.

00:21This new robotic exoskeleton was developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science

00:26and Technology.

00:28It might not only allow people with paraplegia to walk, but also move to its pilot, who can

00:33suit up directly from their wheelchair.

00:35Kim says it's given him new hope.

01:00The suit weighs only 50 kilograms, has 12 individual motors, allows users to walk at

01:05speeds of over 3 kilometers per hour, and even walk up stairs.

01:09Cameras and sensors perform thousands of operations per second to keep it stable and avoid hazards.

01:15The high-tech suit was partly inspired by Hollywood.

01:28The research team says their goal is to test their award-winning exoskeleton beyond controlled

01:33environments like the lab, in real-world conditions like uneven terrain and bad weather.

01:39All part of the team's mission to redefine what it means to stand on your own two feet.

01:44Scott Hwang and Chris Gorin for Taiwan Plus.

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