Exoskeleton suit boosts your legs to help you run faster

An exoskeleton suit helps people sprint faster, according to the results of a small study. Elite athletes could one day use the suit in training sessions to improve their running performance, although one expert says it may increase the risk of injuries. Researchers have previously developed exoskeleton devices that help people to walk or jog more efficiently. Now, Giuk Lee at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, South Korea, and his colleagues have created an "exosuit" that enables people to sprint faster. The exosuit, which weighs 4.4 kilograms, has electrical motors on its back that control the length of two steel cables that attach to the wearer's hips and thighs, says Lee. The length of the cable running between each hip and its corresponding thigh shortens as a wearer extends their legs backwards, helping them to complete this motion.