Exosuit uses ultrasound to 'profile' wearers' muscles to help walk in changing terrain

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a robotic exosuit that swiftly calibrate to an individual wearer in a matter of seconds. The system uses ultrasound to measure a user's muscle dynamics and then develops an activity-specific profile, whether they're strolling in the park, stopped at a crosswalk, or running up a hill. Compared with not wearing the device, the'muscle-based assistance (MBA) ankle exosuit' reduced metabolic demand by nearly one-sixth. Engineers have long worked on exosuits that help people with disabilities walk, but the obstacle has always been developing a frame that can adapt to how humans often change pace and encounter new terrain. 'This approach may help support the adoption of wearable robotics in real-world, dynamic situations by enabling comfortable, tailored, and adaptive assistance,' Harvard Biodesign Lab founder director Conor J. Walsh, who helped develop the exosuit, said in a statement.