Given enough time, all machines will break. Your body is a complex machine. Ergo ...
Engineers have long tried to improve on our perishable meaty parts. Tools, weapons, and armor came first. Powered exoskeletons have emerged in the last five years, offering a glimpse at a future when wearable robots will be commonplace. But examples from the current generation of commercially available powered exoskeletons are heavy, cumbersome, and expensive. Those tradeoffs are easier to overlook for people living with paralysis, but for able-bodied individuals looking to increase strength and endurance or reduce day-to-day bodily stresses, powered robotic suits are nowhere near ready for prime time.