Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics

In Episode 33 of the Robotics and Exoskeletons Podcast, Bobby Marinov turns the interview toward longtime co-host and Arizona State University professor Dr. Thomas "Tom" Sugar for the first part of a career-spanning look at how his work evolved from automotive noise and vibration testing at Saturn and product-development work at W. L. Gore & Associates into compliant wearable robots. Tom revisits his earliest parallel pneumatic...

Ten years after the first Wearable Robotics Innovation Challenge, we take a look at what has happened to the competition's winners and runners-up: 

In Episode 32 of the Robotics and Exoskeletons Podcast, Professor Thomas Sugar and Bobby Marinov revisit the seven WearRA Innovation Challenges held from 2016 through 2022 and ask what became of the memorable ideas. We trace projects ranging from HART Lab’s human-modeling work...

In Episode 31 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast, Bobby Marinov and Dr. Tom Sugar explore the growing library of books on exoskeletons, wearable robotics, and biomechatronics. From newly updated engineering textbooks and influential classics to accessible STEM books for younger readers and the hands-on EduExo Pro handbook, we discuss what each publication offers, who it is intended for, and how today’s resource...

CES 2026 in Las Vegas is the busiest consumer electronics show, and this time, consumer exoskeletons and similar technology had a larger presence than ever. I counted 21 booths with relevant products and did my best to personally try on the devices and talk to as many representatives as possible.

In Episode 30 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics podcast, Dr. Tom Sugar and I discuss what I saw at the trade fair, while h...

In this episode, Bobby Marinov from Exoskeleton Report and Dr. Tom Sugar from the Wearable Robotics Association recap their November trip to Germany for WearRAcon Europe 2025, A+A Düsseldorf, ExoPark, and the ExoWorkAthlon. They discuss the scale of the world’s leading safety trade fair, the growing momentum behind occupational exoskeletons, standout presentations from the conference, hands-on demonstrations, emerging evaluat...

Powered exoskeletons for under $1,000 are finally here - but are they useful technology, expensive toys, clever gimmicks, or something in between? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tom Sugar after a day and a half of hands-on testing with several consumer hip exoskeletons, including the Hypershell base model, the Dnsys Pro, and the Hypershell Ultra. Tom is not just a curious first-time user; he is a wearable robotics researcher ...

In Episode 27 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast, we sit down with Gregory Galarneau of The Exoskeleton Store for a grounded discussion on what occupational exoskeleton adoption actually looks like in the field. Rather than staying at the level of theory, this episode digs into how Gregory entered the space through industrial automation, why he saw exoskeletons as a practical answer for tasks that could not easily be...

In Episode 26, we’re joined by Dr. Karl Zelik, a biomechanical engineer and Vanderbilt University professor whose work sits right at the intersection of research, real-world deployment, and industry translation. Karl is also Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at HeroWear, an industrial exosuit company, and a board member of the American Bionics Project, giving him a rare “full-stack” view of how wearable robo...

Thrilled to have our first guest who is an integrator of ocuppational and industrial exoskeletons, Andre Jutel, from Stanley Handling Ltd. Andre has worked for an exoskeleton producer before becoming a full time division head. He accutely understands the importance of education, communication, setting expactations and matching the correct device and solution to the ergonomic concern at a job site. 

0:00 Episode 25 kicko...

What does 55 years of combined exoskeleton and powered prosthetics just between two peopel sound like!? In Episode 24 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Goldfarb, a H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University with additional appointments in electrical engineering, computer science, and physical medicine and rehabilitation, and director of the Center ...

Episode 23 with Bionice Power: Chapter Markers

00:00 – Welcome & Introductions
Bobby Marinov and Dr. Tom Sugar introduce the episode and guests: Gualtiero, CEO, and Rob Nathan, Director of Operations at Bionic Power.

01:20 – From Military to Medical
How Bionic Power began in 2007 developing energy-harvesting knee exoskeletons for soldiers, and later pivoted to medical rehabilitation for children ...

Join Dr. Tom Sugar (Wearable Robotics Association) and Bobby Marinov (Exoskeleton Report) as we recap RehabWeek 2025, a world leading conference for rehabilitation robotics, medical exoskeletons, and neurotechnology which was held in Chicago this May.

In this episode, Tom shares highlights from the exhibition floor, where 6+ societies united to showcase the future of human mobility. Hear firsthand impressions of cutting-edge...

Is there a way to physically simulate the behavior of wearable devices? From shortening the product iteration and development cycle to creating a new method to testing out prosthetics and orthotics... Humotech aims to simplify the development and adoption of prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeletons. In Episode 21 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics podcast, we sit down with Dr. Josh Caputo, Founder and CEO of Humotech and Rea...

Thrilled to have Melissa DiVierti, aka "BLUE EYE QUEEN,"  join Dr. Tom Suggar, aka "Sugar Daddy Jetpack Tommy," and me, Bobby Marinov, aka "Therion," as we discuss how we can make exoskeleton technology look more colorful and accessible. It is no secret that the world of wearables and wearable robotics is dominated by men, with only a handful of the 100+ startups in the field being led by women. That has translated into the de...

Dr. Sugar and I are proud to be able to share Episode 19 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast for ExR's Patreon Supporters! This time, we are lucky to have as a guest Dr. Jason Gillette, who shares his impressions of occupational exoskeletons. His Biomedical Engineering degree, decades of hands-on expertise in ergonomics and multiple industrial exo projects have given him a deep understanding of the field. During this ...

Welcome to Episode 18 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast. We continue our discussion of medical exoskeletons and physical rehabilitation robotics, this time, joined by Dr. Arun Jayaraman, Executive Director, Technology & Innovation Hub (tiHUB) at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Few people on the planet have more hands-on experience; Arun has tested, evaluated, and implemented more rehabilitation exoskeleton systems than...

On Episode 17 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics podcast, hosts Dr. Thomas Sugar (Wearable Robotics Association) and Bobby Marinov (Exoskeleton Report) are joined by Zen Koh, Founder & CEO of MotusAcademy, and Ambassador at IISART. Zen does a phenomenal job balancing technology with businesses, while sharing his insights on the present and future of rehabilitation robotics technology.

Main Topics: 

• Introduction to...

How many students have access to exoskeleton labs or projects, and what are some alternatives? Welcome to Episode 16 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics Podcast. This time, we discuss EduExo and EduExo Pro (made by Auxivo) with the founder and CEO of Auxivo himself. The EduExo is a commercial product designed to make learning about wearables and wearable robotics easier and more accessible to students and enthusiasts.

For more...

Welcome to Episode 15 of the Exoskeletons and Wearable Robotics podcast, where we discuss the past, present, and future of technology that moves you. In this edition, we are joined by Dr. Zach Lerner, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Northern Arizona University. Researcher of rehabilitation robotics and director of the NAU Biomechatronics Laboratory. Zach's love for human mobility began with his status as a world-cl...