South Korean scientists developed the “Iron Man” inspired robot called WalkON Suit F1, which allows paraplegic individuals to walk.
South Korean researchers, to facilitate the daily lives of paraplegic (spinal cord paralysis) individuals.Iron Man” developed a robot inspired by the movie. This wearable robot called WalkON Suit F1 allows users to walk, climb stairs and overcome obstacles. The robot, which draws attention with its lightweight structure, imitates the movements of human joints by being equipped with 12 electronic motors and advanced sensors. WalkON Suit F1 It aims to improve the quality of life of users by supporting them to move independently.
Iron Man Inspired High Tech
Developed by the Exoskeleton Laboratory at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), the WalkON Suit F1 is designed with a composite of aluminum and titanium, weighing 110 pounds (about 50 kg). While the robot simulates the movements of human joints with its 12 motors, it instantly analyzes the movements of the users thanks to the sensors installed. The sensors process more than 1,000 signals per second, meeting users’ balance and movement needs.
You can access the pictures of the produced robot by clicking here.
The lenses on the front of the robot analyze the surrounding obstacles and the height of the stairs. This feature helps compensate for the missing sensory abilities of paraplegic individuals. “I was inspired by the Iron Man movie and dreamed of making a robot that could help people in real life,” said Park Jeong-su, one of the development team.
WalkON Suit F1 brought not only a technological achievement but also a sporting achievement. The prototype was used by Kim Seung-hwan, a paraplegic individual, in the Cybathlon 2024 competition and won the gold medal in the exoskeleton category. Kim stated that the robot allowed him to move independently and that he wanted to show his son that he could walk again.