LONDON: Engineers have developed an unpowered and wearable exoskeleton which enhances the walking efficiency and reduces the energy needed to walk by 7 percent. It is a low-cost mechanical device that works without batteries or computers. Its inventors have reported that it boosts the performance of calf muscles and the Achilles tendon by absorbing small amounts of energy when the foot hits the ground and releases it again when the foot lifts off the ground. The invention has been reported in the journal Nature.
The exoskeleton is attached to the lower leg and is hinged at the ankle. There are a clutch and a spring which act in parallel with the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. The clutch helps in mechanically engaging the spring when the foot is on the ground and disengaging it when the foot is in air. According to Gregory Sawicki, a biomechanical engineer at North Carolina State University and co-author of the study, the unpowered exoskeleton reduces the load placed on the calf muscles and Achilles tendons. The device is lightweight and inexpensive and could help people who find it hard to walk for long periods after illness.
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