This high-tech power suit can seriously help our aging bodies
One of the biggest problems with aging is how the body naturally deteriorates over time. But now there’s a company hoping to fix that. SRI International recently launched its brand Superflex to create tech-forward clothing. Their first creation is the Aura Powered Suit. And while the sleek suit doesn’t necessarily look like something for the general public — and more like something out of the future — it was actually built to help the aging bodies of regular people.
Mashable reported that the Superflex Aura Powered Suit is a lightweight body suit that is intended to make direct contact with the wearer’s body. The suit’s futuristic look comes from hexagonal pods that act as sort of “electronic muscles.” These focus on specific muscle groups that will assist older people in performing everyday tasks — or activities of daily living (ADLs) — that their aging bodies may be straining to perform. As Mashable wrote:
"It's specifically designed to provide 'core wellness support' to its wearer's torso, hips, and legs to give an extra boost to the muscles while performing basic (but essential) actions like getting up, sitting down, or staying upright."
"Having more older people in society gives designers a major #innovation challenge" | Visit #NEWOLD, 12 Jan-19 Feb https://t.co/pG8N3CIZDz pic.twitter.com/rhnSsv4LiA
— The Design Museum (@DesignMuseum) January 11, 2017
Despite the high-tech behind this super suit, it does look super comfortable, thanks to a design by the San Francisco design and branding firm fuseproject.
What if your clothing had the power to move you? Find out more at https://t.co/exMSqyDhdh @Design Museum #NEWOLD pic.twitter.com/zGWr25CO5W
— fuseproject – We're Hiring! (@fuseproject) January 11, 2017
The suit will respond to the movements of the wearer, fuseproject wrote, and will also add muscle power through those electric pods. Ultimately, the suit will keep aging people more mobile for longer.
The Aura Powered Suit is definitely something of the future and unfortunately, it won’t be released until the future either. Mashable said it has a tentative consumer release date of mid-2018. And we also didn’t find anything about how much it will cost — but our guess is that it will be A LOT. However, it’s hard to put a price on something as magnificent as this suit that will keep its wearer feeling — and moving — young.
