Potential Exoskeleton Walking Solution

I saw this article in New Scientist recently, which may have the potential to help those with HSP.

Various research into exoskeletons has shown that they can improve gait, but it is claimed that this research hasnt converted into real world benefits as all the studies have been in laboratory conditions. This study uses two prototype ankle exoskeletons to help people walk, and has used an AI system to learn about how people walk in real world situations and is able to deliver benefits in the real world.

This study used ten healthy participants in their 20s, and they report that there was a 9% increase in walking speed and a 17% reduction in energy used to walk. They found the exoskeleton relatively easy to used, and the AI is reported to be able to learn quickly. The paper reports that substantial development work would need to occur to develop this into a finished product.

It occurs to me that the spasticity from HSP makes people walk slower, less efficiently and people need to use more energy for the same walk. I wonder if this kind of product would help people in the earlier stages of HSP maintain their full independence for longer and make it easier to get out and about. 

New scientist article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2341275-exoskeleton-boots-learn-how-you-walk-to-help-improve-your-gait/

Full paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05191-1

Image of the exoskeleton from the paper:

I'm pleased to see that the full paper is open access, meaning that anyone can read about this.