Halifax-based Spring Loaded Technology announced today that it has delivered the first 60 in of a planned 190 bionic knee braces to the Canadian Army, part of a $1 million (CAD) contract awarded to the company.
The UpShots are the military grade version of the company’s assistive wearable, which utilizes liquid spring technology, promising lift output similar to those provided by the current crop of high-end electronic exoskeletons.
The braces are designed to increase strength and defend soldiers against the muscle fatigue and knee injuries that come with frequent heavy lifting and the lugging around of equipment like body armor and helmets.
Spring Loaded Technology is also offering up a commercial version of the knee braces, which are set to ship in September. The Levitation, which was backed via a successful Indiegogo campaign earlier this year, is up for preorder, running a fairly cost prohibitive $1,750 per leg. The company will also be offering the military version to consumers for an unsurprisingly even pricier $3,800, along with a model specifically targeted at skiers, which runs $1,850.