Elderly people could soon be wearing a sci-fi style robotic exoskeleton to stop them falling over.

The lightweight powered device is worn from the waist down and has motors at the hip and braces made out of carbon fibre.

Sensors and an algorithm detect the onset of a stumble - helping the wearer to recover their balance. It can be personalised for any individual in just a few minutes.

The device was developed by researchers at the Scuola Sant'Anna in Italy, and EPFL in Switzerland, and was tested at the Rehabilitation Centre 'Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi' in Florence.

While most wearable machines are used to assist or enhance regular movements, this device is the first to prevent unexpected movements that could lead to a fall.

The device was initially designed for elderly people, as they are involved in 40 per cent of all fatal injuries related to falling in Europe.

But the designers believe that it could be used by a range of people, including the physically impaired, amputees and those suffering from neurological disorders.

The exoskeleton is equipped with motors at the hip, and braces made out of carbon fibre.

Professor Silvestro Micera, who led the study, which is published in Scientific Reports, said: 'Our smart exoskeleton is light-weight and extremely easy to personalize.'

For the first prototype, the exoskeleton takes a few minutes to adapt to a given patient, which involves adjusting the size for a particular user and learning the user's gait.

And while it is not yet ready to be worn discreetly outside the lab, it works.

At Hospital Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi in Florence, 69-year-old Fulvio Bertelli was one of the first patients to try on the wearable device.'

I feel more confident when I wear the exoskeleton,' Mr Bertelli said after having worn the machine on a special treadmill that could artificially make him lose his balance and slip.

The personalized exoskeleton first detects the particularities of the user's walk - the patterns of his stride known as the gait.

Once this pattern is established, the system's algorithm is able to detect deviations from his normal gait - the onset of a fall.

When this happens, the motors push both of the thighs down, re-establishing the user's stability at the hip.

An important aspect of the system is to ensure that the exoskeleton is non-intrusive.

The researchers were adamant that the device shouldn't unnecessarily disturb the user, particularly when the user is not falling.

The next steps involve making the exoskeleton more discrete and portable for the outside world, and to test its usability in real-life environments.

The variable nature of human behaviour represents the main challenge for researchers dealing with the design of wearable robotics.

Dr Vita Monaco, who also worked on the study, said: 'Our study revealed that a wearable robotic platform can effectively interact with humans during reactive motor responses, such as accidental slipping.'

These results open new perspectives for researchers who are expected to develop robotic platforms for enhancing human capabilities all day long.'

Source: Daily Mail UK