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Seeking Mobility

 The comments on this story about a hiking exoskeleton made for interesting reading. As useful as the device is, form more that functionality can define its success. For the observer there is going to be the question of whether the user of the device is really in need of it or are they driven by the desire to act super-human. If the need is obvious then there will likely be no judgement - the usefulness would be evaluated on merits. But that is not a given if the user is perceived to be vain, seeking to act super-human. That leaves the potential customer base for a product like this in a bit of a quandary. 

Those that have the means to be early adopters would also need to have a real need for this beyond desire to experiment with a new toy because they can afford it. Imagine a scenario where you are a hiker (which I am) and you see a some folks outfitted in this thing to complete their Moncler and Canada Goose look. It is unlikely that I will come to the conclusion that all of them have a real need for it even if that might actually be the case. There is a path for it to become an aspirational product for those who are priced out at first - the exoskeleton becomes as ubiquitous as the selfie-stick, goes properly mainstream. 

Marketed as a mobility device that can help hikers extend their range instead of a medical device that can assist those with mobility issues (you can think of them as an e-bike but for walking), Skip claims the MO/GO pants can make the wearer feel up to 30 pounds lighter. The amount of assistance provided varies in real time by monitoring the wearer’s gait and leg movements to determine when they’re walking or climbing. At any time, the user can choose to increase or decrease the amount of assistance they’re provided with a simple button press.

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