13 Nov 2024

Soft robotic shorts cut older adults' walking energy cost by 10.48% on level ground

Robotics and artificial musclesMedical technology and bioelectronics
AI illustration · Illustrative scene, not a photograph of the specific device or experiment.

What was demonstrated

Researchers at TUM and collaborators tested WalkON, a pair of soft robotic shorts that assist hip flexion. Young adults walking 500 m uphill on a hiking trail had a 17.79% reduction in metabolic cost of transport with the shorts. A group of older adults walking 400 m on a flat outdoor track had a 10.48% reduction in metabolic cost during level walking, and gave a mean perceived control score of 6.09 out of 7. The TUM research portal record reports these figures from the paper. The number of participants in each group was not confirmed from the sources reviewed.

Why it matters

A soft, lightweight wearable that lowers the energy cost of walking outdoors could help older people walk with less effort. The sources reviewed describe short test sessions. They do not show whether the benefit lasts or reaches people with mobility loss.

Caveats

  • The 10.48% figure is for older adults walking on a flat 400 m track. The 17.79% figure is for young adults on a steep 500 m uphill trail. The two groups and conditions are different and should not be compared directly.
  • The number of participants and their age ranges were not confirmed from the sources reviewed. The TUM portal record and the press release do not state them, and the Nature article page redirected to a login. The full paper should be checked before approval.
  • The sources reviewed do not report long-term use, walking speed outcomes, or results for people with mobility impairment.

Technology profiles

Sources

  1. peer reviewed paper
    Soft robotic shorts improve outdoor walking efficiency in older adults
    Enrica Tricomi, Francesco Missiroli, Michele Xiloyannis et al.. Nature Machine Intelligence, Oct 2024. DOI: 10.1038/s42256-024-00894-8.
  2. university press release
    Robotic shorts support people when walking
    Technical University of Munich (TUM), 13 Nov 2024.
  3. other
    Soft robotic shorts improve outdoor walking efficiency in older adults (TUM research portal record)
    Enrica Tricomi, Francesco Missiroli, Michele Xiloyannis et al.. Technical University of Munich (TUM) research portal, Oct 2024.

Last reviewed 21 Oct 2026.