Powered exoskeleton shows potential for aiding fall prevention

Scientists have developed a new powered exoskeleton that could be used to help frail older people to stop themselves from falling.

Created by researchers at Scuola Sant'Anna in Italy and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland, the system is a lightweight and customisable device that detects and counteracts any loss of balance after an accidental slip.

Equipped with motors at the hip and braces made out of carbon fibre, the frame detects the basic pattern of a user's gait and looks for deviations from this stride. When this happens, the motors push both of the thighs down, reestablishing stability at the hip.

Key benefits of this exoskeleton include its non-intrusive nature, meaning it should not unnecessarily disturb the user when they are walking normally. Further research will now be needed to make the system more discreet and portable.

Dr Vito Monaco, an expert in locomotion biomechanics, said: "Our study revealed that a wearable robotic platform can effectively interact with humans during reactive motor responses, such as accidental slipping. These results open new perspectives for researchers."

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