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Robot Legs Can Help You With Those Long Walking Tours

April 16, 2009 at 5:31 PM | by | Comments (2)

If you're like us and you've been so lucky as to acquire severe stress fractures in your shins thanks to an unfortunate decision to play a sport in college for a few years, you will know that walking long distances will never be easy again. (Running again is a whole different story that requires some physical therapy but it is do-able.)

Tearing your ACL, twisting your ankle once every two months, or just having bad bones can make also sightseeing a dreaded activity when traveling. Or perhaps you have an even more serious medical condition which has weakened your legs. Walking tours of cities are entirely out of the question and even just a few hours checking out the sights with a rest break here and there can be hell on your legs and feet.

But never fear. Robot Legs are here!

Popular Science recently tested out these robot legs, officially called "walking assist devices." There are two prototypes of them out right now, neither of which is available to the public. However, they will be on display at the Detroit's Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress next week. Here's the author's review of the "Stride Management Assist" which is worn around the waist and grips each thigh.

Wearing it, I climbed a set of steps, feeling like I could climb forever without tiring, and then stopped at the top to pose for a photo -- or rather, tried to stop, while the device walked me onward a few paces. It must take some getting used to.

Still, imagine how many cathedral steps we could climb without getting tired!

The second device is called the "Bodyweight Support Assist" and is a little more complex. You have to wear special shoes which are connected to a sort of saddle that you place in between your thighs. Judging by the Popular Science video, it's a little tricky to walk in but comes in handy if you need to crouch down for long periods of time. Again, this could come in handy when you just wanna take a break from sightseeing. Of course, these devices are better suited for those with real needs for mobility assistance. Remember what we learned from WALL-E, kids? Right?

Related Stories
: The Future of Legs [Popular Science]
· Travel Gadgets [Jaunted]

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Alternate Headline:

Terminator: Rise of the Machines! I understand there are people out there with genuine mobility issues, that this technology could help tremendously once it's perfected, however all I can picture in my head is some fat, slob, cliche, American tourist without mobility issues using the robot legs to tour Angkor Wat, and what the locals will be thinking, "You rich, lazy pricks!"
Ryan Tretter on April 17, 2009 at 9:50 AM #Permalink

exactly

first: robot legs. next: flying beds that all the fat people of america lay on in WALL-E.
juliana on April 17, 2009 at 11:55 AM #Permalink

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