Scientists Create Bionic Suit For Bodily Support, Promotes Increased Strength And Stability

Researchers at a startup company called Superflex created a bionic suit that’s intended to provide support for the elderly who might be having some problems with their motor function due to their advanced age. It’s basically a high-tech crutch, which helps boost mobility when trying to stand up, sit down, or reach for something. The technology was spun for civilian use after being developed for military purposes.

Superflex is based in Menlo Park, California and was started by an engineer who worked at SRI International, which was developing military support technology for the government. Rich Mahoney is one of the co-founders of the startup and when speaking to The Verge, explained how experts in robotics and fashion worked together to develop the technology.

“We’re calling it ‘intelligent wearable strength,’” Mahoney said of the suit’s supportive properties.

“We’re now identifying more as a clothing innovation company, even though our foundation is in robotics,” he added.

The prototype suit that the startup company was able to create was made possible thanks to a successful Series A funding that managed to raise up to $10 million for Superflex. The company will initially focus on marketing the product in the U.S. where the elderly population aged 65 years and above are estimated to reach 88 million in the next several decades. However, the company also expressed hope in marketing the suit in Japan, where nearly a quarter of the population is made up of elderly people.

As Futurism notes, however, this technology is not meant to be used as a combat enhancer in any way. Rather, it’s meant to support tasks like lifting heavy weights since the suit’s boost features only work when it senses that there is a need for it. The first set of the product is also expected to come out on 2018, so fans of the concept do have a while to wait.