Interest in "exoskeletons" has been growing rapidly, with daily advances in the field offering new hope for patients with walking impairments. However, the high complexity of these devices also means they come with limitations, such as high costs and difficult maintenance, making them less accessible. Moveo aims to change this with their innovation: the soft exoskeleton ExoBand. It is a passive (no motors or batteries), wearable  (1 lb)  device that works like a walking brace, featuring a belt and two leg loops. It’s designed to store energy during the first phase of walking (hip extension) and then release it during the following step: this boosts the movement of the hip flexors, improving the ability to walk more effectively and more freely.

In people with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions, poor gait control often leads to shorter walking distances, increased fatigue, and a higher risk of falls. This reduced mobility can limit social interactions, exerting a detrimental impact on psychological well-being. The ExoBand aims to break this cycle by improving walking ability.

Clinical studies (freely available here) have shown the ExoBand’s effectiveness, demonstrating reduced energy expenditure, better walking patterns, increase in wakling distances, and improvements in balance and stability for individuals with neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s. The device has also shown a positive impact on gait rehabilitation sessions. People can walk faster, better, and for longer distances.

Since receiving first regulatory approval in 2020, more than 1,200 ExoBand devices are in use across Italy, Europe, the UK, the USA, and Australia, making it a widely trusted solution for improving mobility.

Fausto Panizzolo, the inventor of ExoBand and CEO of Moveo, along with Claudio Semplicini, neurologist and Moveo Medical Director, introduced ExoBand to the YOPD network during a video conference, which is available here.