“'Exoskeletons were really targeted as: function is lost, and we need to replace this function,' says Taylor Dick, a neuromuscular biomechanist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.

Today, researchers and companies are increasingly talking about augmentation instead: adding a fraction of the force needed for a movement. A powered brace might take some load off an arthritic knee, and robotic shorts could make an older person’s daily walk less exhausting. Other exoskeleton devices are designed for a wide range of users, including young adults hoping to go farther and faster. Last October, Nike unveiled a prototype ‘powered footwear’ system called Project Amplify, which is aimed at everyday athletes, and tourists in China can rent exoskeletons during a visit to a hilly section of the Great Wall.

For proponents of exoskeletons, this augmentation can’t come quickly enough. Many countries, including Japan, China and Italy, are rapidly ageing, and the number of people worldwide aged 60 years or older is projected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.”

From Nature.