Editor's Note: The "15th Five-Year Plan for Expanding Consumption," approved by the State Council in July of this year, lists smart wearables alongside AI smartphones, computers, and intelligent robots as new-generation smart terminals aimed at expanding effective supply. Driven by policy, smart wearable devices are evolving from individual consumer electronics categories into an industrial wave centered on the concept of "human extension." These technologies are becoming seamlessly integrated into daily life, redefining perception, health, audiovisual experiences, and mobility. Starting today, China Electronics News launches a series of reports on smart wearable devices, focusing on intelligent terminals worn on the body. We will explore exoskeletons, smart glasses, earphones, rings, wristbands, and other wearable devices, documenting how technology is implemented, how products evolve, and how the industry grows. In this inaugural installment, we focus on exoskeletons—once considered sci-fi "steel mechs"—which are now emerging as the most powerful category among smart wearables.
As a type of wearable robotic system, exoskeletons are typically worn around the waist and legs. Through the collaborative operation of motors, sensors, and control systems, they provide external power to human movement, enhancing, assisting, or restoring motor capabilities. Therefore, when people think of exoskeletons, they often associate them with robotics and embodied intelligence. However, from the perspective of being "worn on the body," exoskeletons also qualify as wearable devices.
In recent years, with the maturation of lightweight materials, AI algorithms, and battery technologies, exoskeletons—as wearable intelligent equipment—have been applied across diverse scenarios and become increasingly integrated into daily life. On October 23, Shenzhen Kenqing Technology released its next-generation AI exoskeleton π6 series, targeting lightweight and portable daily scenarios. When folded, the main unit is only the size of a water cup and weighs approximately 1.2 kg, allowing it to be easily stored in a backpack.
The evolution of exoskeleton forms—from heavy "steel mechs" weighing several kilograms to "pocket-sized" portable equipment—reflects the diversification of application scenarios. From medical rehabilitation to industrial workshops, and further to outdoor sports, these professional devices are now being worn by more people. Consequently, the classification of exoskeleton applications has found new answers.
One "Skeleton," Multiple Scenarios
According to the "China Exoskeleton Robot Market Share" report released by IDC, the Chinese exoskeleton robot market exceeded CNY 1.6 billion in 2025, with shipments totaling approximately 26,000 units. The market is concentrated in three major scenarios: medical rehabilitation, industrial applications, and consumer assistance. Among these, medical rehabilitation is the largest segment, with a scale of approximately CNY 1.42 billion.
Medical rehabilitation is the earliest and most mature implementation scenario for exoskeletons. Medical exoskeletons provide patients with standardized, repeatable gait training, focusing on motion control of the hip, knee, and ankle joints, trunk balance, and gait control, helping patients rebuild the ability to stand, step, and walk. Shuai Mei, founder of Beijing Daai Robot, a company specializing in exoskeleton rehabilitation, summarized the corporate mission as follows: "Help those who cannot stand to stand up; help those who can stand to walk; help those who can walk to become independent." Shanghai Fourier Intelligence also deeply engages in the medical rehabilitation field. Its lower-limb exoskeleton robot, ExoMotus M4, targets patients with stroke, spinal cord injury, and other conditions, assisting them in completing standing and walking training during early rehabilitation stages. It is understood that its products and services have served more than 40 countries and regions worldwide.
Policies are also providing support for medical exoskeletons. The "15th Five-Year Plan for Universal Medical Security," issued by the National Healthcare Security Administration, proposes actively incorporating the application of new technologies, drugs, and devices into commercial health insurance coverage. Currently, many regions have included "medical exoskeleton rehabilitation training" projects in medical insurance or long-term care insurance pilots. Driven by both demand and policy, medical exoskeletons have become the foundational base for exoskeleton applications.
Beyond rehabilitation rooms, exoskeletons are finding broader application in consumer-grade scenarios such as hiking, mountaineering, and scenic tourism, represented by companies like Kenqing Technology and Jike Technology (Extreme Shell). As early as 2025, Kenqing Technology partnered with Mount Tai Scenic Area to deploy approximately 500 mountaineering assistance robots, creating an application scenario for exoskeleton robots in scenic mountain climbing. Today, exoskeletons are becoming increasingly common in tourist attractions. It is understood that famous mountain scenic areas across China, including Mount Tai, Mount Hua, and Mount Huang, have launched shared exoskeleton rental services, becoming a new trend in mountaineering. Jike Technology has focused on outdoor sports since its inception, aiming to lower usage barriers and accelerate product-market fit validation.
Exoskeleton Applications in Outdoor Mountaineering Scenarios
Although medical rehabilitation exoskeletons remain the leading segment in terms of market size, consumer assistance leads in shipment volume—with approximately 19,000 units shipped in 2025, accounting for over 70% of total shipments. Domestic consumer market performance confirms this momentum: On October 23, the Press Office of the Ministry of Commerce announced that the head of the Department of Consumer Promotion introduced the status of China's consumer market in the first three quarters of 2026. Notably, sales of exoskeleton assistance devices on key platforms grew by 46.4% year-on-year during this period. Consumer assistance is becoming the fastest-growing and most active application scenario for exoskeletons.
Industrial scenarios represent another important direction for exoskeleton applications. On automotive assembly lines, logistics sorting hubs, and construction sites, exoskeletons serve the role of "reducing burden and protecting the back." Aoshark Intelligent is a leading player in the industrial-grade exoskeleton track, with its products stably deployed in multiple industrial scenarios. A representative from Aoshark Intelligent stated that any scenario involving physical labor represents a potential market for exoskeletons. Their flagship waist exoskeleton robot, BES-HV, provides a maximum assistance force of 30 kg and reduces overall workload by 60%, significantly alleviating worker intensity. The product has already been implemented in logistics, mining, and other scenarios.
Divergent Demands, Diverse Values
The same "skeleton" develops different "muscles," driven by variations in scenarios. Ultimately, it is the demand itself that defines exoskeletons and directly shapes their product forms.
It is understood that medical exoskeletons must complete standardized gait training under doctor supervision, requiring extremely high safety and compliance standards. Therefore, they generally feature weight-bearing supports, multiple sensors, and software systems, resulting in relatively larger volume and higher costs. Consumer-grade mountaineering exoskeletons, however, need to be lightweight and portable to allow for prolonged wear. Industrial exoskeletons prioritize "effort reduction," using materials like carbon fiber to balance strength and self-weight, while emphasizing quick battery replacement and resistance to dust and moisture to adapt to continuous operations in industrial environments.
The result of divergent demands is that exoskeletons are no longer "standardized products" but are defined by their specific scenarios. Different uses require assistance to different body parts, employ varied control methods, and offer vastly different wearing experiences.
For this reason, exoskeletons are not exclusive to any single application field and are difficult to define by a standard answer. They are evolving along differentiated paths based on scenarios, delving deeper into each sector and adapting to specific sub-scenarios and tasks. Medical rehabilitation is transitioning from "passive training" to "active, intelligent, and home-based" solutions. Consumer products are beginning to recognize actions such as stepping up and down stairs, iterating toward lighter "pocket-sized" designs. Industrial products use AI to analyze lifting postures and warn against incorrect movements, upgrading "assistance" to "workplace health management."
Rather than debating which industry sector exoskeletons belong to, it is more accurate to say that every specific person and every specific task defines its value attribution. The focus of exoskeleton application lies not only in whether it can provide assistance, but in whether it meets genuine scenario needs, and whether it can precisely, comfortably, and safely adapt to specific individuals and actions. Sun Kuan, founder of Jike Technology, stated that there is still much room for optimization in current exoskeleton products. The priority should be polishing the products to meet users' real needs.
From helping paralyzed patients stand up again, to accompanying tourists on easy hikes, to reducing back strain for frontline workers, the application boundaries of exoskeleton robots continue to expand. Their value does not lie in replacing human strength, but in understanding human needs and integrating with the wearer and their environment. As demands change and technology evolves, exoskeletons are expected to achieve scaled application in even broader scenarios in the future.
Author | Cui Shuo Editor | Wu Lilin Art Director | Ma Liya Supervisor | Lian Xiaodong