The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
The ‘right trousers’ to boost mobility
Engineers get leg-up in bid to develop wearable aids for getting around
A team of British engineers inspired by Wallace and Gromit are developing “the right trousers” to help people stay mobile in old age.
Like the “wrong trousers” featured in the famous Aardman animation, the wearable walking and standing aids will provide support and extra strength.
Unlike the pair worn by the hapless Wallace, they will – hopefully – be kept safely under control.
Numerous technologies have gone into the £2 million project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), including smart electronics, graphene and artificial muscles.
Within 10 years, the scientists hope to produce a pair of lightweight “power trousers” that can boost the strength of weakening muscles and joints by 5-10%.
Lead researcher Jonathan Rossiter, Professor of Robotics at Bristol University, said: “Our dream is to make our devices ubiquitous.
“In six or seven years time you could go into Boots, select your trousers, try them on, and take them home. They will be safe and will help you move around.”
An estimated 10 million people in the UK have mobility problems, and 1.2 million require mobility assistance following a stroke.
The “right trousers” concept emerged from a brain-storming session in a hotel and feedback from focus groups made up of members of the public.
What people said they wanted was “magic” trousers that were easy to put on and use and comfortable to wear.
A range of “trouser” technologies were demonstrated at the British Science Festival taking place at Hull University.
Prof Rossiter said: “The ‘right trousers’ is a pioneering project which will eventually enable people with mobility impairments, disabilities and age-related weaknesses to live independently and with dignity.”
The team is now bidding to work with a leading prosthetics company and has submitted a new funding request to the EPSRC.