Exoskeleton called Arke can be controlled using Amazon’s Alexa

PanARMENIAN.Net - Amazon’s Alexa is available on a lot of devices, from lamps to alarm clocks to fridges. But robotics company Bionik Laboratories says it’s the first to add the digital assistant to a powered exoskeleton. The company has integrated Alexa with its lower-body Arke exoskeleton, allowing users to give voice commands like “Alexa, I’m ready to stand” or “Alexa, take a step,” The Verge says.

Movement of the Arke, which is currently in clinical development, is usually controlled by an app on a tablet or by reacting automatically to users’ movements. Sensors in the exoskeleton detect when the wearer shifts their weight, activating the motors in the backpack that help the individual move. For Bionik, adding Alexa can help individuals going through rehabilitation get familiar with these actions.

“It would mostly be used in the training period while people are getting used to these devices,” Michal Prywata, co-founder and COO of Bionik, said, according to The Verge. “Using information coming out of our sensors, we can tell when people want to stand up, when they want to sit down, take a left step, or take a right step. But when patients are first learning to use the device, depending on their level of injury, they can struggle with these movements. So [integrating Alexa] gives a person the ability to control things with their voice.”

Right now, this integration comes with a number of caveats. Firstly, there are no microphones built into the Arke itself, so users would have to be within earshot of an Echo device or be able to access the Alexa app on a mobile device. Secondly, this is only a prototype. The exoskeleton itself isn’t yet cleared for clinical use — and it’s unclear if Alexa will stand up to the rigors of medical certification.