Mount Tai in China’s Shandong province is a popular tourist destination, famous for over 7,000 steps to its peak. To help struggling hikers, local tourism authorities have introduced robotic exoskeletons for rent. Available for a fee of RMB 60-80 (about USD 8-11) per use, the ‘robotic legs’ track user movements with AI and provide synchronized support. The device, weighing 1.8 kg, is designed to be worn around the waist and thighs, and requires another person’s help to put on and take off. Each unit runs on two batteries lasting five hours.
Co-developed by Taishan Cultural Tourism Group and Shenzhen-based Kenqing Technology, the robotic exoskeletons were soft-launched on January 29th during the Chinese New Year holidays. A full commercial release is expected in March 2025. In the meantime, the device’s developers plan to boost its battery life and set up battery replacement stations along the Mount Tai trail, which is generally a six-hour climb.
The Taishan Cultural Tourism Group is no stranger to robotic innovations. Last November, the organization introduced trash-hauling robotic dogs to address the area’s waste disposal challenges. Beyond Mount Tai, however, the hiking exoskeleton fits a broader global shift: the mainstreaming of AI-powered hardware that augments humans’ physical abilities. Previous innovations in this space include Hyundai and Kia’s wearable robotic shoulder and Skip and Arc’teryx’s exoskeleton knee attachment for hiking pants.
Specific groups — including seniors and people with disabilities — will benefit most from democratized access to this technology. However, there are various lifestyle application opportunities, too. Time to rethink the role your brand can play in augmenting consumers’ physical (and mental) prowess.
It would also be interesting to explore what this shift could mean for consumer status. Completing a demanding physical activity, like climbing a mountain, has long been a status symbol — in some cases, an experience only a handful of people could achieve, signaling an aspirational level of physical fitness, mental fortitude and overall sense of adventure. If AI-powered exoskeletons were to make these experiences more accessible to a broader audience, what will consumers aspire to next?