Like E-Bikes For Your Legs

Is this the time when wearable robotics takes off? For decades, researchers and entrepreneurs alike have been seeking the ideal application domain for wearable human augmentation, including medical, military, industrial, and even first responder settings. For the first time, exoskeleton technology is gaining traction and finding a strong foothold among individuals who want to walk and hike more, but could use that extra little push.

Americans are bombarded with messages that suggest moving, such as walking, jogging, bicycling, and simply being more active, can lead to longer, healthier lives. The market has been flooded with wearables that track, beep, vibrate, play music, and try to encourage their users to move, but they will not do anything to physically help one move. This is where consumer exoskeletons and wearable robotics come into play: these devices exert force against one or more joints on the body to facilitate movement (or resistive training).

Exoskeletons for hiking are closely following the classical Gartner Hype Cycle. They emerged on the scene between 2021 and 2023 as crowdfunding campaigns that easily met and exceeded initial minimum requirements. These new hiking consumer exos joined the already existing sports exoskeletons for skiing and STEM education. Just as companies follow the hype cycle, they have experienced delays and cancellations to date. With the technical hurdles resolved, hiking exoskeletons are hitting the market and gaining popularity quickly.

The current market:

The companies leading the charge on hiking exoskeletons are Hypershell, Dnsys, Skip, and WIRobotics, with companies like VIGX and Decathlon also developing their versions. These hiking physical human augmentation wearables are exiting the Trough of Disillusionment, led by three factors that work in their favor: low price, influencer content, and public demonstrations.

Powered exoskeletons have always been expensive. They require motors, controllers, batteries, and motion control that is error-free and intuitive. Typically, they cost in the many thousands of dollars, yet consumer hiking exoskeletons are vastly more affordable, retailing for as low as $990. So does one get one 1/1oth of an exoskeleton for 1/10th of the price? I have been lucky enough to wear and try out over 100 exoskeletons in the last decade, and hiking exos so far appear to be both sufficiently durable and robust.

Influencers have been responding positively to this new family of wearables, with videos featuring them reaching millions of views and garnering more publicity than anything that came before them. Consumer wearables have an obvious edge over those designed for hospitals or warehouses, as they can be seen in public places like parking lots and hiking trails.

Finally, hiking exoskeletons have the advantage of being easier to show off to the public. There have already been public demonstrations in China, South Korea, and the U.S. These events allow people with no prior knowledge of wearable robotics to clip on an exo and take it out for a spin. The National Trails Day is an event that happens at 200 hiking paths simultaneously. It is designed to introduce volunteers to carrying heavy tools and making repairs and modifications to popular paths. The Lake Tahoe event was sponsored by Hypershell, which donated 30 units. When asked by onlookers what they were wearing, the volunteers began to refer to the Hypershell as “e-bikes for your legs.”

While it is still early to tell, it appears that consumer exoskeletons for walking, bicycling, and hiking may be the application domain in which powered exoskeletons see significant sales and adoption.