Slip on a soft, fabric pair of “pants,” and your legs get a hidden boost. Engineers in Shenyang have been testing a flexible lower-limb exoskeleton that acts like an intelligent muscle, quietly powering lifts and stair climbs to help people walk more easily.

The device was developed at the Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in northeast China. Unlike rigid metal frames, the suit is made of fabric and leather and weighs only a few hundred grams, yet it can increase leg strength by about 20 percent.

A fast-adapting control system matches changes in walking cadence, allowing users to switch assist modes on their own and move continuously without interruption. The modular design lets clinicians target support to specific joints, creating a one-person, one-plan approach to rehabilitation.

Researchers say the soft exosuit could offer fresh hope for people with paralysis, joint injuries, and age-related mobility loss by making assisted walking lighter, more natural, and more personal.