Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics

From powered hiking assistance to robotic pants and passive ski supports, consumer exoskeletons are taking many forms. In Episode 36 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast, Borislav "Bobby" Marinov and Arizona State University professor Dr. Thomas “Tom” Sugar explore the consumer exoskeleton market in 2026, covering products already on sale, preorders, and devices still in development.

The conversation includes Hypershell, DNSYS, Ascentiz, VIGX, WIRobotics, Dephy, Skip, Haier, and many more. Bobby and Tom discuss powered hip, knee, and ankle assistance, modular systems that combine multiple joints, exoskeletons integrated into clothing, and passive designs for skiing and carrying equipment.

Along the way, they share firsthand impressions of devices they have tried and examine practical questions about fit, comfort, attachment systems, and freedom of movement. They also discuss what remains unknown about newer products and the challenge of tracking a field where new manufacturers, models, and announcements appear almost daily.

The full list of manufacturers and models discussed will be posted on Exoskeleton Report.

Recorded before IFA Berlin 2026. Product availability and launch plans reflect the time of recording.

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Topics:
0:00 Introduction: What Exoskeleton Owners Can Learn from E-Bikes
7:47 Battery Care, Charging, and Manufacturer Guidance
14:10 Flying with an Exoskeleton: Batteries, Packing, and Airport Travel
20:46 Cleaning, Washable Components, Straps, and Fit
29:09 Mechanical Checks, Water Resistance, Apps, and Firmware
38:43 Storage, Repairs, Accessories, and the Owner’s Checklist

This episode is not meant to be a definitive guide, but a starting point for a conversation. With an electric bicycle, a person can reasonably understand what ownership involves: how to use it, maintain it, charge it, and store it. Tom and I tried to apply that same familiar approach to exoskeletons, exploring the everyday responsibilities and questions that come with owning one. We’d love to hear your experiences, questions, and anything you think we missed.

Links:
Hypershell — User Manuals and Downloads:
https://hypershell.tech/en-us/pages/tutorials

Hypershell — Support, Battery Care, Cleaning, and Troubleshooting:
https://support.hypershell.tech/en-US/articles

DNSYS — User Manuals and Video Tutorials:
https://dnsys.ai/pages/tutorial

VIGX — Frequently Asked Questions, Maintenance, and Replacement Parts: https://vigx.ai/pages/faq

FAA PackSafe — Flying with Lithium Batteries:
https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/lithium-batteries

ASTM F3392 — Standard Practice for Exoskeleton Wearing, Care, and Maintenance Instructions:
https://store.astm.org/f3392-20.html

For device-specific instructions, consult your manufacturer’s current manual. Check your airline’s battery and baggage requirements before traveling.

For more on exoskeletons, visit:

Exoskeleton Report:
https://exoskeletonreport.com

Wearable Robotics Association:
https://wearablerobotics.com

Support the Exoskeleton Report on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/ExoskeletonReport
#exoskeletons  #WearableRobotics #ConsumerExoskeleton

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In Episode 34 of the Robotics and Exoskeletons Podcast, Bobby Marinov continues his interview with longtime co-host Dr. Thomas “Tom” Sugar, exploring the projects that followed his early work on rehabilitation robots and powered prosthetic ankles. Part 2 follows experiments in running assistance and load carriage into occupational exoskeletons, personal cooling, and newer rehabilitation and arm-support projects. Throughout the conversation, Tom returns to the challenge of building devices that assist people while preserving their freedom to move.

Topics:
0:00 Introduction and Part 1 Recap
4:55 The Running Jetpack, Pogo Suit, and AirLegs
23:02 ROLLE Load Support and HeSA Hip Assistance
33:49 WearRA, WearRAcon, and Personal Cooling
44:07 APEx: Lifting, Pushing, and Air Force Field Testing
54:53 New Projects: Elbow Rehabilitation, RISE, and Glovebox Arm Support

Links:
Watch Part 1 — Episode 33:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra06E77SeiA

Dr. Thomas Sugar at Arizona State University:
https://search.asu.edu/profile/227786

Human Machine Integration Lab:
https://thomassugar.github.io/hmil/

SpringActive:
https://springactive.com/

ASU’s look inside Tom Sugar’s lab and early wearable robotics projects:
https://news.asu.edu/20151002-tom-sugar-exoskeletons-lab

APEx — Air Force exoskeleton field testing:
https://news.asu.edu/20210712-solutions-air-force-exoskeleton-heavy-lift-asu

Exoskeleton Report’s original coverage of the first WearRAcon:
https://exoskeletonreport.com/2016/02/wearracon16_day_1_report/

For more on exoskeletons, visit:

Exoskeleton Report:
https://exoskeletonreport.com
Wearable Robotics Association:
https://wearablerobotics.com

Support the Exoskeleton Report on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/ExoskeletonReport

ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE CREDIT:
This episode includes archival research demonstrations and excerpts from Good Morning America/ABC News and ABC15 Arizona. The excerpts are presented for commentary, educational discussion, and historical context concerning the projects discussed. The original footage remains the property of the respective rights holders. No ownership of third-party footage or endorsement by the broadcasters is claimed.

AirLegs — “New ‘AirLegs’ technology helps troops stay one step ahead”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAky33f_Vvk
ABC15 Arizona — “Exoskeleton being developed to prevent workplace injuries,” reported by Cameron Polom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvn5gGMs-Hs

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In Episode 33 of the Robotics and Exoskeletons Podcast, Bobby Marinov turns the interview toward longtime co-host and Arizona State University professor Dr. Thomas "Tom" Sugar for the first part of a career-spanning look at how his work evolved from automotive noise and vibration testing at Saturn and product-development work at W. L. Gore & Associates into compliant wearable robots. Tom revisits his earliest parallel pneumatic mechanisms, spring-based actuation and phase-control ideas, and the formative years of ASU’s Human Machine Integration Lab. The conversation follows the Crutch Cast, the RUPERT upper-limb rehabilitation exoskeleton, the SPARKy powered prosthetic ankle, Air Legs, and SpringActive’s Joint Torque Augmentation Robot (JTAR), including its connection to DARPA’s Warrior Web program. Along the way, Tom explains why compliance, user agency, precisely timed assistance, and allowing the robot to “get out of the way” remain central challenges in wearable robotics. This is Part 1 of the story, ending well before the later chapters of his career.

Topics:

0:00 Introduction – Who Is Dr. Thomas Sugar?
1:30 From Saturn and GORE-TEX to His First Robots and Patent
13:30 Springs, Compliance, and the Early ASU Lab
26:17 Early Orthoses, the Crutch Cast, and RUPERT
37:05 SPARKy and Powered Prosthetic Ankles
48:26 SpringActive, Air Legs, JTAR, and DARPA Warrior Web

Links:

Dr. Thomas Sugar at Arizona State University:
https://search.asu.edu/profile/227786

Human Machine Integration Lab:
https://thomassugar.github.io/hmil/

SpringActive:
https://springactive.com/

DARPA Warrior Web:
https://www.darpa.mil/research/programs/warrior-web

For more on exoskeletons, visit:

Exoskeleton Report:
https://exoskeletonreport.com

Wearable Robotics Association:
https://wearablerobotics.com

Support the Exoskeleton Report on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/ExoskeletonReport

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Ten years after the first Wearable Robotics Innovation Challenge, we take a look at what has happened to the competition's winners and runners-up: 

In Episode 32 of the Robotics and Exoskeletons Podcast, Professor Thomas Sugar and Bobby Marinov revisit the seven WearRA Innovation Challenges held from 2016 through 2022 and ask what became of the memorable ideas. We trace projects ranging from HART Lab’s human-modeling work and EduExo’s educational kit to the Compact X-scissors shoulder mechanism, JAPET’s Atlas back-support system, soft robotic orthotics, adaptive casts, and a smart insole for diabetic-foot monitoring. Along the way, we share which projects became products or companies, and which continued as influential research.

Topics: 0:00 Introduction – Where Are the Winners Now? 2:36 How the WearRA Innovation Challenge Worked 4:39 2016 – HART Lab, Standards, and Early Concepts 9:35 2017 – EduExo’s Path from Prototype to Product 15:01 2018 – Compact X-scissors and Liftya 21:54 2019 – JAPET Atlas and the Biggest Challenge Yet 27:03 2020 – A Virtual Challenge and Soft Robotic Orthotics 29:25 2021 – VR Exoskeletons and Exo360 33:45 2022 – Smart Insoles and Diabetic Foot Monitoring 41:41 The End of the Original Innovation Challenge 48:06 Thanking the People Behind the Challenge 52:35 Outro

Links:
For more on exoskeletons, visit:
Exoskeleton Report: http://exoskeletonreport.com
Wearable Robotics Association: https://wearablerobotics.com

If you like this work, please support me on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/ExoskeletonReport

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In Episode 31 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast, Bobby Marinov and Dr. Tom Sugar explore the growing library of books on exoskeletons, wearable robotics, and biomechatronics. From newly updated engineering textbooks and influential classics to accessible STEM books for younger readers and the hands-on EduExo Pro handbook, we discuss what each publication offers, who it is intended for, and how today’s resources can guide learners from their first introduction to wearable technology to advanced research and development.

Chapter Markers:
00:00 Welcome: Why an Episode About Exoskeleton Books? + Patreon Supporters and Community Thanks
01:52 Wearable Exoskeleton Systems, 2nd Edition: What Changed?
08:29 The Gold Standard: José Pons’ Wearable Robots
12:45 Wearable Robotics: Systems and Applications
17:16 Biomechatronics and Human–Robot Integration
20:10 Superpower? — Wearable Technology for Young Readers
23:06 Building Homes for All — Exoskeletons and Future Construction
24:20 A Candid Review of Another Exoskeleton Book
25:27 EduExo Pro - Learning Exoskeletons by Building One
27:27 A Reading Path from Middle School to Graduate Research + How Exoskeleton Publishing Has Evolved

Links:
For more on exoskeletons, visit:
Exoskeleton Report: http://exoskeletonreport.com
Wearable Robotics Association: https://wearablerobotics.com

If you like this work, please support me on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/ExoskeletonReport

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CES 2026 in Las Vegas is the busiest consumer electronics show, and this time, consumer exoskeletons and similar technology had a larger presence than ever. I counted 21 booths with relevant products and did my best to personally try on the devices and talk to as many representatives as possible.

In Episode 30 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics podcast, Dr. Tom Sugar and I discuss what I saw at the trade fair, while he adds information from the producer’s website. Join me at my very first CES as I explore the halls in search of as many exoskeleton products as I can. (This episode was originally published to paid Patreon Supporters. If you want to have early access to this podcast, please sign up for the Exoskeleton Report Patreon Membership.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to CES 2026 Las Vegas & Patreon Supporters
01:30 Hyundai X-ble
03:50 Hypershell
07:05 ULS Robotics
10:17 Xtand
13:58 Kenqing
18:57 WithForce
21:32 YRobot
24:35 Ocalis
26:36 Dephy
30:52 Sumbu
32:26 ATDev & Agade 
35:33 Dnsys
39:59 Cosmo Robotics
42:59 Ascentiz
45:43 Seeppo
47:12 SKIP, Heimgear, Darwing
51:58 German Bionic & Outro

Companies that we missed? Houston Bionics for one. Do you know of other exoskeleton or exo-adjacent companies that were at CES 2026 and didn't make it in this episode?

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In this episode, Bobby Marinov from Exoskeleton Report and Dr. Tom Sugar from the Wearable Robotics Association recap their November trip to Germany for WearRAcon Europe 2025, A+A Düsseldorf, ExoPark, and the ExoWorkAthlon. They discuss the scale of the world’s leading safety trade fair, the growing momentum behind occupational exoskeletons, standout presentations from the conference, hands-on demonstrations, emerging evaluation tools, and the energy around the exoskeleton industry as it continues moving toward wider workplace adoption.

Topics:
00:00 Introduction and Germany trip overview
01:35 Arrival in Düsseldorf and WearRAcon Europe 2025 setup
02:07 A+A Düsseldorf, ExoPark, and the scale of the event
07:13 WearRAcon Europe 2025 talks, research, and evaluation tools
24:28 ExoWorkathlon and hands-on exoskeleton demonstrations
38:11 A+A trade fair reflections and industry momentum

Links:
For more on exoskeletons, visit:
Exoskeleton Report: http://exoskeletonreport.com
Wearable Robotics Association: https://wearablerobotics.com
TikTok Videos from A+A 2025: https://www.tiktok.com/@exoskeletonreport
A+A Article by Hyundai: https://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com/en/story/CONT0000000000196927
3 Keys to Mainstreaming Exoskeletons in the Next Five Years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDoksEYHGbA&t

If you like this work, please support me on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/ExoskeletonReport

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Powered exoskeletons for under $1,000 are finally here - but are they useful technology, expensive toys, clever gimmicks, or something in between? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tom Sugar after a day and a half of hands-on testing with several consumer hip exoskeletons, including the Hypershell base model, the Dnsys Pro, and the Hypershell Ultra. Tom is not just a curious first-time user; he is a wearable robotics researcher and engineer who has built multiple powered exoskeletons and prosthetic systems himself. We talk through the full experience: putting the devices on, acclimating over thousands of steps, testing them on ramps, stairs, an incline treadmill, and a bike, and then comparing what we felt against Tom’s own engineering background. My hope is that this episode gives listeners a more realistic sense of what consumer exoskeletons can do right now, what they cannot do yet, and why they may be evolving into “e-bikes for your legs” -  a tool that does not replace exercise, but helps people move farther, climb more, and stay active.

Topic Markers:
00:00 Intro and why this test is different
01:59 Fast onboarding and first impressions
04:01 Acclimation and the 7,000-step outdoor walk
06:23 Incline treadmill, heart-rate checks, and cycling tests
10:37 Tom’s engineering perspective on consumer exoskeletons
16:47 Fit, feel, features, limitations, and best use cases
31:12 “E-bikes for your legs,” 2026 predictions, and wrap-up

🔗 Learn more: https://exoskeletonreport.com & 💌 Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter

Wearable Robotics: https://wearablerobotics.com

Support the Podcast on Patreon  https://www.patreon.com/c/exoskeletonreport/membership

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In Episode 27 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast, we sit down with Gregory Galarneau of The Exoskeleton Store for a grounded discussion on what occupational exoskeleton adoption actually looks like in the field. Rather than staying at the level of theory, this episode digs into how Gregory entered the space through industrial automation, why he saw exoskeletons as a practical answer for tasks that could not easily be automated, and how The Exoskeleton Store grew into a major North American distributor focused on matching real workplace problems with real wearable solutions.

The conversation then moves into the realities of implementation: why exoskeletons often need a “try before you buy” approach, how worker feedback can make or break adoption, and why success depends on much more than just a product spec sheet. Gregory shares lessons from customer trials, the personal nature of body-worn technology, and the differences between top-down deployments and demand driven by real worker need. By the end, the episode becomes something close to a field report on the current occupational exoskeleton market, including where adoption is working, where it stalls, and what trends may shape the next phase of growth.

Thank you to all of my Patreon supporters for making this possible. Your support is both financial and moral, and it helps me continue producing podcast episodes, transcripts, and independent coverage of exoskeletons and wearable robotics. I really do appreciate it, and I hope that if you enjoy this content you would consider becoming a Patreon supporter as well: https://www.patreon.com/ExoskeletonReport/membership

Main Topics: 

00:00 Introduction to Episode 27 and Gregory Galarneau of The Exoskeleton Store

 02:23 How Gregory Galarneau got into occupational exoskeletons from industrial automation

04:46The first customer story that changed the mission of The Exoskeleton Store 

08:30 Why exoskeletons need to be tried before they are bought 

13:05 Why exoskeleton implementation is different from traditional automation 

16:37 A successful exoskeleton rollout: trial, buy-in, and safety award 

24:54Cautionary tales: why some exoskeleton projects fail 

28:32 Hunting elephants vs. helping small businesses adopt exoskeletons 

32:54 Culture, Japan and Europe, and why North America may be adopting more slowly 

55:39 Where the industrial exoskeleton market is heading in the next 5 to 10 years

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