Harvard’s New Exosuit Will Push the Limits of Human Performance
A team of scientists from Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or SEAS, and Wyss Institute, both at Harvard University, have created a new type of soft exosuit that decreases the metabolic output associated with running by 5.4 percent, according to their study published in Science Robotics.
A team of scientists from Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or SEAS, and Wyss Institute, both at Harvard University, have created a new type of soft exosuit that decreases the metabolic output associated with running by 5.4 percent, according to their study published in Science Robotics.
The soft exosuit technology Harvard researchers pursue is unique in its focus on using soft, lightweight materials, like fabric and wires, to enhance human movement, rather than heavy metal actuators or shells. The exosuits have a variety of purposes depending on placement and goals. According to the Wyss Institute, they can add mobility in the elderly, stroke patients, those with multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease and help soldiers or farmers move heavy loads or run faster.
Most of the time the devices enhance mobility by working in combination with the natural motion of the human body but the new suit, designed to aid running or in the rehabilitation of athletes after an injury, works a little differently.
The study experimented with two different ‘profiles’ when choosing the placement and action of the wires. One profile, based on previous research from Stanford University, applied assistive force later in the runner’s stride, while the other profile applied force at an earlier point that aligns closely with what happens naturally when a runner runs. The Harvard team found that when the force was applied later in the stride, it had positive results on knee and foot effort as well, whereas the biologically aligned profile did not, proving that slavishly mimicking biology when it comes to wearable tech is not necessarily the most effective approach.
At the moment, this new suit is tethered to an off-board actuator unit which houses the power supply, motors, and electronics required to operate the suit, meaning that it can only be used in a facility where the unit and treadmill are close in proximity. However, with more research, scientists hope to create an untethered version of the suit soon.
This video explains how exosuit technology developed at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and applied to ankle movements helps patients post-stroke regain a more normal gait. Credit: The Rolex Awards / Wyss Institute at Harvard University
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Daniel Okafor
Daniel Okafor is the Senior AI Reporter at TrendinTech, where he covers large language models, machine learning research and the practical use of artificial intelligence across business and government. He previously reported on artificial intelligence for MIT Technology Review, covering the labs behind the current generation of frontier models and the policy debates in Washington and Brussels. Daniel holds a Master of Science in Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon University and follows the research community closely, attending NeurIPS and ICML each year to speak with the people behind the papers. He has a particular interest in evaluation: how models are benchmarked, where those benchmarks fail and what that means for the companies betting on them.
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