New ankle exoskeleton, developed by Vanderbilt mechanical engineers, is lightweight, low-profile and inexpensive which could be widely used among elderly people, those with impaired lower-leg muscle strength and workers whose jobs require substantial walking or running.The device is believed to be the first ankle exoskeleton that could be worn under clothes without restricting motion. It does not require additional components such as batteries or actuators carried on the back or waist.The study was published online in the journal of IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.The study has been built upon a successful and widely cited ankle exoskeleton concept from the other researchers in 2015."We've shown how an unpowered ankle exoskeleton could be redesigned to fit under clothing and inside/under shoes so it more seamlessly integrates into daily life," said Matt Yandell, a mechanical engineering Ph.D. student and lead author of the study.The team has invented
