SHAFAQNA- Japanese scientists have devised a robotic exoskeleton to help Buddhist pilgrims. The robotic suit, dubbed the Walk Mate, was developed with funding support from All Nippon Airways. Its creator is Yoshihiro Miyake, a biophysics professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. According to Miyake, the Walk Mate senses the gait and pace of the user and synchronizes its motors to assist.
Early tests of the six-kilogram suit are being employed in tourism-related areas such as the Shinkoku pilgrimage route, which connects some 88 temples. This route is known to be especially popular with the elderly and is famous for steep terrain and long stairways. The Walk Mate has already been used in medical centers in Japan and elsewhere to aid in physical therapy, Buddhistdoor Global reported.