Scientists build wearable ‘exomuscle’ that boosts upper body strength and endurance

All participants in study could lift their arms and/or objects for much longer with wearable technology, scientists say

Scientists have developed a wearable textile that serves as an extra layer of muscles to boost upper body strength and endurance in people with restricted mobility.

The vest, named Myoshirt, is a soft, wearable exomuscle for the upper body with cuffs for the upper arms and a small box with the technology needed for its functioning, according to the study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence.

Sensors embedded in the fabric working with a smart algorithm detect the wearer’s intentional movements and the amount of force required.