Knee injuries are common pitfalls for amateur and professional athletes alike, as the human desire to compete pushes our bodies to the limit. And when a knee injury does occur, it can be debilitating. This is a problem Canadian startup Spring Loaded Technology is looking to address with the launch of what it’s touting as the world’s first bionic knee brace.
The lightweight Levitation knee brace is similar to other knee braces on the market, except this one stores kinetic energy when a user bends their knee, so they receive an extra boost and support when they straighten their leg again. VentureBeat was given a hands-on demo of the device at Dublin Web Summit a few months back, though we never actually tried the brace during any activities.
Above: Bionic Knee Brace
Though other “bionic body parts,” including knee and leg exoskeletons, have been developed over the years, the Levitation is designed to be the first consumer-friendly bionic brace in terms of both price and function. Chris Cowper-Smith, scientist and CEO at Spring Loaded Technology, has been working with his team on the technology behind Levitation for the past three years. “Along the way we tried metal springs, polymers, and even gas springs, none of which were quite right,” said Cowper-Smith. “Eventually, we developed a new type of liquid spring that allowed us to keep our brace light, powerful, and compact. We wanted to create a powerful spring-loaded knee brace that was affordable and could benefit everyone.”
