ActiveRunningIs this exoskeleton the equivalent of an e-bike for runners, scramblers and ramblers?The Hypershell Omega combines electronics, robotics and AI to provide runners and hikers with 1-horsepower of smart assistance across all kinds of terrainWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ActiveRunningIs this exoskeleton the equivalent of an e-bike for runners, scramblers and ramblers?The Hypershell Omega combines electronics, robotics and AI to provide runners and hikers with 1-horsepower of smart assistance across all kinds of terrainWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The Hypershell Omega combines electronics, robotics and AI to provide runners and hikers with 1-horsepower of smart assistance across all kinds of terrain
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Imagine, while you’re out on a trail run or taking on a tough hiking route, being able to strap on a high-tech hip-based harness that can deliver you the power of a horse to charge up steep accents and across even the trickiest terrain.
Sounds similar to something from a James Cameron movie, like a precursor of theAmplified Mobility Platforms used inAvatar, but science fiction often becomes science fact, andHypershellhave developed an exoskeleton they promise is capable of delivering all of the above and more.
The one-size Hypershell harness can be adjusted to fit various hip dimensions and to incorporate various types of outdoor clothing(Image credit: Hypershell)
The one-size Hypershell harness can be adjusted to fit various hip dimensions and to incorporate various types of outdoor clothing
The one-size Hypershell harness can be adjusted to fit various hip dimensions and to incorporate various types of outdoor clothing
(Image credit: Hypershell)
One step beyond
The 1-horsepower Hypershell Omega exoskeleton weighs 1.8kg but effectively offsets 30kg of weight as it powers runners, scramblers and ramblers over vertiginous landscapes at speeds of up to 12mph/20kmph. According to the designers of the unit, when used in ‘Hyper mode’, the Hypershell provides up to 20 times more power output than the average body employs while running or hiking.
(Image credit: Hypershell)
Where running meets robotics
Manufacturers say the AI-equipped smart unit actually learns how you move in various scenarios and then calculates the optimal output required to assist you to travel faster, automatically toggling through 9 settings to smoothly adjust your power-assisted speed up to 12mph.
Using ‘Adaptive Motion Recognition’, the Hypershell can analyse nine different postures at a rate of 200 times per second, and then, using its AI dynamic adaptive engine, the product recognises and switches between suitable modes during the activity. Effectively, once you switch it on and start moving, you have a co-pilot helping you adjust your speed.
(Image credit: Hypershell)
Hypershell Omega exoskeleton specifications
Is this the start of a e-running revolution?
The potential applications for the Hypershell exoskeleton are broad. There are clear potential benefits for trail runners, hikers, climbers, backpackers and travellers who want some extra assistance to go further and explore more, but also for people with limited mobility and professionals such as photographers and outdoor medics who need to carry heavy gear across challenging terrain, often at speed.
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But, in a recreational setting, is it cheating? Well, the same was said about thebest e-bikeswhen they were first developed, but now there’s a massive market for them alongside standard bikes. People will choose how and where to effectively and ethically use such technical assistance, but it might well give Strava moderators a few headaches if speed ascent records suddenly start to tumble.
We’re certainly itching to put the Hypershell exoskeleton through its paces - or rather, for it to put us through our paces. Watch this space. The unit has attracted £100k in funding on Kickstarter so far and is expected to retail at between US$299 and US$599, depending on the model selected.
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