In China, an American tourist is shocked after using robotic legs called Sport Assist Robot, to help him walk, run, ride and hike.
In the video, the American tourist tries the Sport Assist Robot and loses his calm as he walks, and runs with ease with no effort in place.
The viral Instagram post is showing an American tourist enjoying the Sport Assist Robots, more advanced robotic exoskeletons, which help in walking, running, riding and hiking, as the CNN article published in February of 2025 notes, becoming more popular in China, especially when walking in challenging conditions such as Mount Tai.
AI-Powered Robotic Legs Go Viral
These exoskeletons, created by such companies as Kenqing Technology and Mile Bot, are based on the AI algorithms to match the movements of the user, which results in a considerable reduction of physical effort and improving the mobility of the person, which is not limited to the tourism sphere since it may also be used in rehabilitation and in the support of the aging people, as it is reported in the article published in the People’s Daily Online in April 2025.
The Sport Assist Robot costs $1000.
The technology is a breakthrough in wearable robotics, providing energy efficient alternatives to conventional motors and possibly revolutionizing industries not only in the field of healthcare but also in the field of outdoor activities, with further advancements in robotic performance demonstrated at such events like the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, as it is described by BBC in August 2025.
How do robotic legs work?
Each of the robotic exoskeleton runs on two batteries, with a life of approximately five hours.
Besides the fact that mountain climbing has become so much easier, such walking supports have brought about online debates regarding their extended use in a country that is struggling with an older population that is fast growing older.
According to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, 22 percent of the population in China is above 60 and the percent is projected to increase to 30 percent by the year 2035 and the number of elderly people will be more than 400 million.
The co-developer of the robotic exoskeletons, Kenqing Technology, is targeting this huge elderly care market considering that it has been established in 2015.
It has introduced a customized exoskeleton that is elderly-friendly, with a weight of 2.4 kilograms and costs 17,000 yuan (2334 USD) in the Chinese e-commerce giant Taobao.
