XoSoft

XoSoft is a soft, modular, lower limb exoskeleton that elderly and disabled people can wear to assist their leg strength and support. The aim of this multidisciplinary research is to develop an innovative soft exoskeleton for the lower limbs, to provide low to moderate assistance in walking. XoSoft will help increase mobility and improve health and quality of life of people with walking impairments.

XoSoft is a Horizon 2020 project funded by the European Union. The Project is led by the Italian Institute of Technology and involves research colaboration by a group of Industrial and Academic partners across Europe. Design Factors provides the user-centered Product Design and Human Factors expertise for the project.

Between 2000 and 2050, the older population (80+) projected to almost quadruple from approximately 100 million to 395 million people worldwide. Many elderly and patient groups experience varying degrees of mobility impairment. Assistive devices play a pivotal role in their lives and impact on their ability to live independently and perform basic tasks of daily living. For XoSoft soft robotics sensors and actuators will be developed using existing basic science concepts and integrated with connected health functionality.  Control is through biomimetics to identify the user’s motion and intention and to determine and provide the appropriate level of assistance. Connected health connectivity and analysis enable the wearer and their clinicians/therapist to review activity information. The concept is tested extensively in the lab, is subject to trials in clinical settings and home environments.

The XoSoft project website is available here