Bionic Leg Sleeve Fixes Walking Patterns To Get Postures On The Right Foot
California-based startup Cionic has created a bionic leg sleeve that uses artificial intelligence to correct your gait and posture. The sleeve was produced in collaboration with fuseproject designer, Yves Béhar, and seeks to aid those living with cerebral palsy, sclerosis, strokes, and other mobility problems.
The ‘Neural Sleeve’ can be wrapped around the leg and secured with Velcro. At first glance it looks a lot like a legging, making it wearable for everyday use. It features a functional electric stimulator (FES) to help monitor the gait of the wearer.
The electrical patches are built into lightweight fabric that is purposefully positioned over various muscles. Here, electrodes send signals to a receptor module that is placed in a little pocket on the thigh of the sleeve. It will pick up the information and send micro-corrections back to the electrodes, which will make changes to the way the muscles move.
An app will control the whole process and give the wearer the ability to control the bionic clothing to a certain degree.
The main goal of the Neural Sleeve is to subconsciously train the wearer’s muscles until they can perform without the need for intervention, and eventually, the user will not need its aid anymore.
It took over 50 prototypes for creators to be happy with the design. According to Dezeen, Béhar cites that a major challenge was placing the electrodes in the exact place while ensuring the wearer’s comfort. Cionic also states that this technology could eventually be used for other areas of the body as well.
The wearable was recently cleared by the United States Food and Drugs Administration and will be ready for sale in 2023.
