Developing knee motors helps to run faster

Scientists at the University of Tsukuba in Japan have developed a type of knee that can be inserted into the leg to help run faster and use less muscle power.

The engine weighs 5kg, which includes a small motor for knee joints, a sensor for contraction and a safety lever. Part of the device is mounted on the leg and part (including the controls and battery) is worn on the back.

The engine knee allows a steady speed of 7.5 km / h but uses 30% less muscle power than normal running is not supported. However, the researchers did not say how much weight they would have to wear a 5-kilogram set of equipment.

The research team develops the engine's knee to trust the device to be commercialized within the next three years and the product has its own market.

There are also similar devices to help people with mobility problems, but the new device will be much more compact when it comes to market.

However, this device is not designed to assist people with disabilities but to support the knee movement of people who simply want to run more efficiently. And this could make it a candidate for the next year's Ignobel Prize.