We already know that China is doing some amazing stuff in the world of robotics, with a growing number of bipedal efforts wowing people around the world. Robotic technology is starting to seep into the tourist industry there, too, with a number of stores now offering robotic legs to help people with mobility issues deal with challenging inclines in places like national parks.
American TikToker Christian Grossi recently got to try on a pair of robotic legs, and he absolutely loved them. We reported on a similar contraption earlier this year that’s being offered to a hikers in a national park in China.
Ideal for elderly folks or anyone with issues with their knees or other leg joints, the 4-pound (1.8 kg) sport utility robot fits around your waist and legs, providing enough power to make it easier to move and ease the stress on your lower limbs.
“Woah, oh my gosh, it’s moving for me,” Grossi says in the video (below) when the power kicks in. “It’s like ‘easy walking.’”
Next, Grossi steps out of the store and takes a short run. “I’m putting no effort into running and I’m running so good,” the TikToker comments.
Then he asks the store owner to put the robotic legs onto full power. “Are you sure?” the owner responds somewhat ominously. He doesn’t turn into Oblique Seville, but Grossi genuinely feels the extra power that the setting provides. As he begins to walk, he starts laughing. “I’m not walking! I’m not walking! This is literally the future — I’m running with a robot. This is insane!”
The robot is powered by two butt-based batteries that keep it going for as many as 10 hours.
Grossi tried on the robotic legs in Zhangjiajie National Park about 800 miles (1,290 km) south-west of Beijing. The device is rented out to people in the national park for $22 a time, but you can also buy your own one for about $1,000.
Wearable exoskeletons have been around in robotic form for several decades, but improving technology has made them smaller and lighter. More recently, they’ve come equipped with AI-powered control systems to make them even smarter and more responsive.
The technology is being increasingly deployed for manual labor jobs involving tasks like heavy lifting, but the innovative use for tourism is more recent, giving those with leg issues more freedom to enjoy the great outdoors.
