Samsung’s EX1 wearable robot is designed to improve mobility in older adults

I tend to be wary when consumer electronics companies dip their toes into the world of robotics. The category offers an attention-grabbing acronym for companies trying to boost their future prospects. More often than not, the systems that hit the scene are little more than vaporizers.

Samsung has mostly played it close to the belt when discussing its robotics ambitions. Of course, Bali may It will actually start somewhere down the road, but what about those more advanced dishwashing and food preparation robots? I’m definitely not holding my breath.

In 2019, the company introduced a trio of robots at CES. The wearable exoskeleton was the most exciting of the bunch for two main reasons. First, it is a realistic product. After all, there are already quite a few of these solutions on the market. Second, they had work units at the event. I tried one, and it really helped me as I walked up the stairs to the company’s booth.

Sahmyook University this week showcased some of the ongoing work the Seoul-based research institute is doing in conjunction with Samsung on the robot front. There aren’t many details surrounding the EX1 (not to be confused with an old Samsung digital camera of the same name) at the moment, but there are some promising results here.

The system essentially falls into the growing category of robotic age technology. The hip-worn device is specifically designed to improve balance and movement among the elderly. Muscle mass tends to decrease as you age, affecting your walking and increasing your risk of falls.

“Using the EX1 wearable robot, the elderly can effectively perform simple exercises such as walking and fitness, thereby improving their quality of life,” says lead researcher Professor Wan-hee Lee. “EX1 can increase their participation in exercise and serve as a guideline for exercising the right way.”

As noted, the device is designed for both assisted and guided exercises. According to the study, stride length improved by more than 12%, while propulsion increased by about 21% in people who wore EX1 for 50 minutes a day, three times a week for a month.

“Our findings provide a solid foundation for the development of various types of improved and advanced mobile robots,” Lee said. “This will further expand the global mobile robot market, driving further research and commercialization.”

It is not certain when or if the Samsung EX1 could hit the market. Even so, expect assistive wearable robotics to become much more common over the next decade.