Cutting-edge robotics are making waves at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with para-athlete Kevin Piette, who lost the use of his legs after a car accident 11 years ago, carrying the Olympic torch while wearing an exoskeleton designed by French engineering company Wandercraft.
Wandercraft, founded in 2012 and based in Paris, specializes in developing exoskeletons for both medical and personal use. Their flagship exoskeleton, Atalante X, is used in rehabilitation centers worldwide to help patients regain mobility. A Wandercraft spokesperson emphasized the complexity of developing self-balancing robotics and their mission to address this challenge by creating a device for people who cannot move their legs.
Although Piette did not qualify to compete in France, he was determined to participate in the Olympic ceremony. As the number 10 wheelchair tennis player in France, Piette’s dedication and spirit caught the attention of the Olympic Committee, who found him to be a fitting participant in the torch relay.
Wandercraft’s personal exoskeleton, currently in development, aims to provide users with full-day mobility. The goal is for users to wear the suit for a complete workday, allowing them to sit, stand, step side to side, and perform other motions. The prototype currently offers about four hours of battery life for these actions, but the ultimate objective is to extend this to a full day.
Long considered the stuff of science fiction, as depicted in movies like “Aliens,” “Elysium,” “Edge of Tomorrow,” and the “Iron Man” series, Wandercraft’s exoskeleton technology has become a reality through collaboration with the California Institute of Technology (CalTech). Professor Aaron Ames from CalTech, a key figure in this partnership, highlighted the positive health benefits of locomotion, even in a clinical setting. The exoskeletons operate based on algorithms programmed into the suit, responding to the wearer’s torso movements as a control mechanism. Ames described the torso as functioning like a joystick, with leaning movements dictating the direction of walking.
The exoskeletons also feature a conventional joystick for directional commands. Ames, a Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Control and Dynamical Systems, has been instrumental in creating CalTech’s Robotic Assisted Mobility (RoAM) initiative in collaboration with Wandercraft. This initiative allows for the testing of new ideas and technologies on Wandercraft’s exoskeletons, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in robotic-assisted mobility.
While exoskeletons are expensive, new policies in the United States are making assistive technology more accessible. Medicare has issued a ruling to reimburse the cost of exoskeletons, providing financial assistance for those who need it. Earlier this week, Keontae Clark became the first person in the San Francisco Bay Area to receive an exoskeleton suit through her health insurance, with her exoskeleton costing $100,000.
The advancements in exoskeleton technology, exemplified by Kevin Piette’s participation in the Olympic torch relay, showcase the potential of robotics to transform lives. With continued innovation and collaboration, exoskeletons could become a common sight, offering new mobility solutions and improving the quality of life for many people around the world.
