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$5,000 Exoskeleton Pants Promise to Make You a Better Hiker (gizmodo.com) 66

Posted by BeauHD from the cyborg-era dept.
"The linked article is pretty much a press release, but it's still interesting to see the promise of exoskeletons starting to infiltrate the mass market," writes longtime Slashdot reader Baron_Yam. "These rigs cost $5,000, weigh only a few pounds, and go for multiple hours on a charge." Gizmodo reports: With the MO/GO exoskeleton hiking pants, a traipse through the mountains is becoming more mechanical, not to mention expensive. The MO/GO (short for "Mountain Goat") is a joint effort with established outdoor apparel makers Arc'Teryx and the tech startup Skip. Remember Samsung's exoskeleton pants concepts? These are kind of like that, though Skp and Arc'Teryx's first commercial product covers up all those glaring metal bits with an already-pricey pair of designer hiking pants. The MO/GO is supposed to push you 40% harder, according to the company. What does that mean in context? Fast Company rolled around in them for a hike and found the exoskeleton took a lot of weight off the knee, cushioned footfalls, and kicked the leg forward when tackling an incline. [...]

Two braces go into each leg, while the 3-hour power pack sits at the belt line just above your posterior. The MO/GO is a pair of Arc'teryx Gamma pants with cuffs to snap Skip's carbon fiber exoskeletal thighs onto the outside of each leg, which should impact your quadriceps and hamstring muscles. The companies claim each ligament weighs 2 pounds, with the pants in total clocking in at 7 pounds, but instead of adding weight the arms absorb the impact of each step, enough to make users feel "30 pounds lighter." [...] On Skip's site, you can see an internal look at how the motors spin every time the user raises their knee. The pants are supposed to have an on-board algorithm to handle stairs or a steep incline differently. You don't control it with an app either. There are three buttons on the pants: an on/off switch, as well as "less assistance" and "more assistance" toggles.
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$5,000 Exoskeleton Pants Promise to Make You a Better Hiker More

$5,000 Exoskeleton Pants Promise to Make You a Better Hiker

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  • For an example of a place that would be dangerous while wearing these exopants, Google images of "Striding Edge".

    And of course, there are places that will wear the batteries down to a nubbin....Google Images of "Quinag" [Total trip end-to-end is about 25 miles]
    • Oh, and don't say "Nobody will be stupid enough to wear that up a real mountain"....there are people who try to navigate with a phone in those mountains ... battery goes flat in the first 10 minutes.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dbialac ( 320955 )
      On the bright side, the morbidly obese can use these instead of scooters to get around. On the other side of the bright side, they still won't stop eating.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by coofercat ( 719737 )

      Danger or none, I'd personally take the unevenness, and terrain generally as part of the experience.

      These, for me, fall into the same category as electric bicycles. I cycle a bit, and I mostly do it to avoid using the car and to get a bit of exercise. An electric bike would indeed get me to my destination quicker/easier, but at some level, that's not the point.

      So too with these trousers - II might be able to climb Ben Nevis easier/quicker, but it's not really me climbing it any more. Also, I'd do that climb

      • Re:The mountains include some very dangerous place (Score:5, Interesting)

        by froggyjojodaddy ( 5025059 ) on Wednesday July 31, 2024 @07:17AM (#64669164)
        The thing about electric bikes, if you use them properly I guess, is that it helps you travel further than you might have done on pure manual pedal power. There's a large percentage of cyclists who aren't in for the pure exercise and exertion but want a balance of exercise and seeing new places, or perhaps just riding around for a few hours without overdoing it.

        I've owned an electric assist bike for a few years and it helps me cycle around the back roads of the county for a few hours. WIthout the electric assist, I'd be winded after an hour and be miserable after 90 mins. But with electric assist, I can cycle around for 3 hours easily and if I really want to exert energy, it's as simple as pressing a button and disabling the assist completely.

        For people getting into exercise, electric bikes are a great way to slowly get into a groove and not give up because the first time you went out for 30 mins, you exhausted yourself and lost motivation. I think the same argument exists with these pants.

        • you exhausted yourself and lost motivation.

          Thats the part I always struggled to understand, exhaustion is what you want because without it exercise does not do nearly as much good, especially in terms of actually making progress like becoming more athletic. In fact, the definition of cardiovascular health includes the ability to go from resting to exertion to resting again with your heart and breathing rates quickly adapting. Simply being in proximity to “exercise equipment” does not actually do anything, if you get on a treadmill and

          • If your exercise is biking / hiking and exploring new places - actively exercising for the point of exhaustion seems a really really bad idea.

            That's great the failure point is a signal the exercise is doing good long-term job and forcing your body to adapt.

            Now you have to walk/bike your way back for one or two hours, sorry you can barely breathe. But hey, "just do it"

          • Re: (Score:3)

            by Rinnon ( 1474161 )
            It seems like you're thinking about this from a min/max perspective: you're wanting to take actions that maximize your gains while minimizing wasted time. That's very effective, but that's not how everyone feels about exercise, and even less so for people just getting into it. They don't want to (at first) feel winded, exhausted, or sore; these feelings put them off of continuing, even if it is a sign of an effective workout. They want to get out for an hour or two and feel like they did something good, eve
            • There's a difference between someone who exercises for maximum gain and someone who just wants to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. Or someone who wants to wander around a mountain for 8 hours but has no desire to get to the peak and someone who wants to get to the peak in the shortest time possible.

              I used to work out almost every day and it felt great. Even though the DOMS was sometimes debilitating. Then, I realized I was just as happy working out every other day and not

        • Bet the electric bikes are also nicer in hot weather. Free breeze!

      • These, for me, fall into the same category as electric bicycles. I cycle a bit, and I mostly do it to avoid using the car and to get a bit of exercise. An electric bike would indeed get me to my destination quicker/easier, but at some level, that's not the point.

        Funny, my immediate thought was "I'd like to have those pants on hand while hiking in rough terrain, ready to use in case of injury". Even a relatively small injury - a ligament or tendon tear, a sprain, a dislocation - can have you stuck in a bad situation. Pants like these could mean the difference between making it back to safety on your own, and waiting for a rescue that might arrive late or not at all.

      • Danger or none, I'd personally take the unevenness, and terrain generally as part of the experience.

        These, for me, fall into the same category as electric bicycles. I cycle a bit, and I mostly do it to avoid using the car and to get a bit of exercise. An electric bike would indeed get me to my destination quicker/easier, but at some level, that's not the point.

        So too with these trousers - II might be able to climb Ben Nevis easier/quicker, but it's not really me climbing it any more. Also, I'd do that climb for personal benefit, some of which would be lost (a) in style points and (b) in physical exertion.

        All that said, I'm reasonably able bodied - if I wasn't, and wanted to enjoy the great outdoors, then these might be just the way to do it.

        Yes, the last part is the important part. There are a surprising number of people who need a bit of help getting around. They might be good with walking a bit, but not for long periods of time. This beats the heck out of using an electrical cart or wheelchair.

      • These, for me, fall into the same category as electric bicycles. I cycle a bit, and I mostly do it to avoid using the car and to get a bit of exercise. An electric bike would indeed get me to my destination quicker/easier, but at some level, that's not the point.

        For an increasing number of people, it's entirely the point. I am attached to my beat up old bike, Ilike being able to fix it, I cycle faster than 15mph much of the time and my internal monologue is a huge snob. For most people, the electric power m

      • These, for me, fall into the same category as electric bicycles.

        They do for me too - I've put electric bikes into the category of something I will buy when I get too old to cycle to work in the summer without one. When I get too old to take the dog on a long walk I'll probably look at getting a pair of these as well - at least I might if the price has come down by then.

    • Striding Edge is not difficult at all. Nice slabs, fairly even, just at the crest. Little bit of climb down. Nothing fancy. Try Jack's Rake.

    • For an example of a place that would be dangerous while wearing these exopants...

      Of course there will be places where it is dangerous to use these things although rather than go to the Lake District climbing a ladder would probably be a much simpler, closer to home example. However, the question we should be asking is whether there are places or situations where they are useful. After all there are plenty of places where it would be very dangerous to drive a car but nevertheless cars are still extremely useful.

      My guess is that technology like this may be useful for older people who

  • What could possibly go wrong (Score:5, Funny)

    by Bruce66423 ( 1678196 ) on Wednesday July 31, 2024 @05:15AM (#64669042)

    Wallace and Gromit 'The wrong trousers'

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]

  • This is a kinky VR gizmo porn nightmare just waiting to happen! In the wilderness!
     
    Don't mix these "pants" with any VR sex toys, or robot dollies, electro polyphonic space funk dildos, or anything "weird".
     
    You don't want to be rescued after your pants run off with your girlfriend on Mount Shasta !
     
    Just don't get caught looking like a crop circle jerk gone bad.with the alien abduction probes and molested cattle, Danger! Will Robinson! Danger!

  • Two braces go into each leg, but....in the MO/GO exoskeleton video it clearly just ONE on each leg on outside of legs, nothing on interior of legs. "instead of adding weight the arms absorb the impact of each step". don't see that happening cause a true exoskeleton goes down under your feet to carry the weight ! I got bad knees, it may help but not for $5,000 !!!

  • Stupid gimmick (Score:3)

    by bradley13 ( 1118935 ) on Wednesday July 31, 2024 @06:49AM (#64669124) Homepage

    So you're wearing braces on your legs, and carrying not only the braces and motors (3.5kg) and a battery pack (weight carefully not specified). Any minor gain in efficiency is surely offset buy having to carry all that stuff around. Plus, you are inevitably going to have to adapt your gait. And finally - real hiking? Where paths are not level, you are stepping over trees and sometimes scrambling over rocks or scree fields?

    I'm not young - in my 60s - and I hike quite a lot. I have zero desire to even look at something like this. It's clearly a gimmick for people who don't know what do to with their money.

    • I don't know, the first time I tried power assist biking, I thought it was great. I can imagine a market segment for people who would also like this. Imagine passing experienced hikers on the trail, and not even looking tired while climbing up a hill.
    • Or maybe don't be mad at what people choose to do with their money? If you can afford to spend $5k on a pair of high-tech trousers, chances are that $5k is "play money". Instead think of it as a bunch of engineers got together and did something. And with the money they make off this, there's a chance they'll increase their knowledge and be motivated to do something else that might benefit you
    • Think of this like a car when they first came out over a hundred years ago. It’s heavy, has no power, is incredibly expensive, and barely works only when the operator has a mechanic level understanding of the machine. Sure, a savvy person would have opted for a horse instead as they were more practical and cheaper at first. But now close to 140 years later, it’s the horse that’s impractical and more expensive. Give it a century and a half, my guess is exoskeletons will actually be c

  • They require special pants and they don't take any weight off of your feet.

    $5,000? For that I can buy a motorcycle.

    They could charge even more for an assistive device for the disabled, perhaps. But they are going to sell just a few of these to the aggressively early adopter techbro crowd.

    • You want to climb mountain trails and cliffs with a motorcycle? Do you ride a trial bike [youtube.com]?

      • If I wanted to climb trails with a motorcycle I'd buy a ROKON.

        I have no interest in climbing cliffs, though, thanks.

        I certainly have even less interest in it while some bullshit exolegs are trying to think for me.

  • They will make you an incompetent hiker that cannot do without a massive crutch. Great job!

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by pr100 ( 653298 )

      Quite - it's like saying that putting an engine on your bicycle will make you a better cyclist...

    • Re:Will do exactly the opposite (Score:4, Interesting)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) on Wednesday July 31, 2024 @08:02AM (#64669242) Homepage Journal

      On the other hand, people with disabilities will get to hike to places they otherwise would not have been able to visit.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by gweihir ( 88907 )

        Maybe. That would be a different headline though. If these even work for that case.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by pz ( 113803 )

        On the other hand, people with disabilities will get to hike to places they otherwise would not have been able to visit.

        That's true, but it isn't being marketed as such. And that's a huge factor in the number of Darwin Award nominees it might therefore create.

        My experience with people who have physical disabilities (and, yes, I work in that field) is that they are acutely aware of their body's abilities and limitations, very much unlike your average Jo Blo. When it takes you 10 minutes of non-trivial effort to get to the bathroom at an event, for example, you anticipate and plan accordingly where you might sit (an example

        • On the other hand, people with disabilities will get to hike to places they otherwise would not have been able to visit.

          That's true, but it isn't being marketed as such. And that's a huge factor in the number of Darwin Award nominees it might therefore create.

          Those who Darwin themselves don't need no steenking walking assist pants to work their craft.

          The danger lies with Jo Blo, unfamiliar with what happens when their body doesn't work as intended, easily getting themselves into a bad situation with mechanical assistance.

          So, again, marketed as an assistive device for those with difficulty walking is one thing, but this exoskeleton appears to be marketed to the average schmuck, which is entirely another.

          It is entirely possible to get killed in many ways. https://darwinawards.com/darwi... [darwinawards.com] Guy in a mobility cart kills himself accidentally. Yeah, he could ram the elevator door with it, force it open, then fall to his death because the elevator car wasn't there, and he fell down the shaft.

          If marketing makes a company liable for each and every idiot that uses them poorly, then what do we do about planes, trains, and

      • On the other hand, people with disabilities will get to hike to places they otherwise would not have been able to visit.

        This!. Even without going hiking, there are a lot of people who could really benefit from assistive technology and this would fit the bill for them. Some people can walk, but get gassed pretty quickly.

        It isn't obesity, or laziness, it is because of some condition that tires them quickly, usually from a muscular or neuropathy based illness.

    • They will make you an incompetent hiker that cannot do without a massive crutch. Great job!

      Indeed. Apparently you believe that physical therapy isn't a medical field. Pro tip: Your body remembers positions and mimics them in the absence of external help. That is literally how people recover from accidents, or how sports therapists improve performance in the top sports people.

    • How do you feel about people hiking with poles (literal crutches)?

  • when the battery dies (Score:3)

    by awwshit ( 6214476 ) on Wednesday July 31, 2024 @07:41AM (#64669204)

    Sounds like you need to take your pants off when the battery dies so that you can get home.

    • Sounds like you need to take your pants off when the battery dies so that you can get home.

      Well at least I’ll still be able to get into a restaurant on the way home if I’m hungry. Good thing they don’t make powered shirts or shoes.

  • How can my hiking pants stay connected to the cloud if I take them out in a real hiking situation? Because we all know it's just gonna be an expensive extra heavy pair of pants once the cloud connection drops. I mean, if it can't phone home, how could they track usage and make sure the owner isn't over-using based on their subscription? Come on! Think of the corporate profits!

    • How can my hiking pants stay connected to the cloud if I take them out in a real hiking situation?

      Simple, if you want cloud connectivity while hiking just wait for a thunderstorm when you are halfway up a mountain and then wave around a long metal pole. Chances are that you'll soon have a direct connection to a real cloud. Should you survive, you may also find that your exoskeleton can now run you home in record time!

      • How can my hiking pants stay connected to the cloud if I take them out in a real hiking situation?

        Simple, if you want cloud connectivity while hiking just wait for a thunderstorm when you are halfway up a mountain and then wave around a long metal pole. Chances are that you'll soon have a direct connection to a real cloud. Should you survive, you may also find that your exoskeleton can now run you home in record time!

        Thank you for my first legit laugh out loud moment of the day. This should be put in the packaging with these pants.

    • This is Apple service calling. Mr. Hopkins, are you alright? We are informed you might be in trouble. Sensors indicate sharp motion and bio-alerts. We show increased heart rate and fecal discharge. Video records indicate wildlife in the area. Did you see a bear and make dookie, Mr. Hopkins? Help is on the way, poopie-pants. You just soiled your new five thousand dollar pair of mech-trousers. I'm obligated to inform you that warranty does not cover damage from liquids. I'm registering a lot of liquid, Mr. Ho

  • might find these useful. I have a friend with arthritis that finds it difficult to walk more than a mile. Something like this might make it easier for him to get around. I cannot see much use for the general public, but there are always people with lots of money who have to have the latest gizmo whether it is useful or not.

  • It's a fun idea, but I suspect the battery life would be a big constraint, and when the battery dies you're lugging around a few extra kilos of weight without assistance.

    With the battery life I feel like the only application is day hikes, but is there a market for $5k assists there?

    I feel like the actual application could be workers, particularly older ones, who need to walk a lot for their work. Warehouse, mail delivery, etc.

    • With the battery life I feel like the only application is day hikes, but is there a market for $5k assists there?

      I'd guess there might be given that we have an aging population who may want to keep hiking and who can probably afford the pricetag.

  • I'd spend that money on a new pack and a PLB. I'd take some cool trips in to the back country near here, the kind of outings that make memories. Or maybe I'd just road trip to national parks if you're counting gas money and stuff.

  • you know what else "takes a lot of weight off the knee, cushions footfalls, and kicks the leg forward when tackling an incline."?? ...not going hiking.
  • That is all.

  • Hi, my name's Cliff. Drop over some time.

  • If you look carefully on the carvings of ancient Mesopotamia, you'll notice bands above certain joints on the Anunaki. Ancient Aliens have all sorts of crazy explanations of what they are, but each of the bands has a tendon like attachment affixed to it and to another band (or shoe) on the other side of the joint. They appear to be relatively lightweight, gravity assisted exoskeletons rather than some ancient apple space watch.

  • As a Brit it was hard reading so many instances of the word "pants" :D

    Usually my US-UK English translation system can handle it but this was too much!

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