Thread by @KarlZelik

I spend a lot of time thinking about & discussing the science of #exoskeletons.

3 years ago, the single most common question I heard was:

❓Do exoskeletons cause muscle atrophy?

Short answer: No.

But I don't hear this as often anymore.

I believe there are 2 reasons why👇🏽

1️⃣ Science Communication

• For a long time, exo engineers/scientists mostly spoke to each other

• But now a broader audience is interested in exo tech

• And more researchers/developers are engaging in public discourse

This is helping reduce exo myths & misconceptions 👏🏽 🎉

If you want a quick rundown on:

• what causes atrophy (muscle weakening/wasting)

• why exos are more likely to prevent atrophy than to induce it

Then check out this thread:

https://twitter.com/KarlZelik/status/1202298389590761472

2️⃣ Public Perceptions

• Most people have never worn an exoskeleton

• So their gut reactions are often based mostly on imagination

• But as more people try on this emerging tech, there is a 💡 moment

And then the perceptions & conversations tend to shift dramatically.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen this.

Once people wear an exo, they gain a visceral sense for what the tech is & isn't. And how it might help a person without weakening muscles.

I'm not sure there's any substitute for this experiential learning with exos.

We need to keep putting more exos on more people.

As people gain familiarity w/ real-life exos, we'll see questions shift from things like:

❌ Will this weaken my muscles?

to

✅ Can you design a version that works for [insert niche/user here]?

I've already begun seeing this.

Have others in the exo field noticed a similar decrease in the frequency of the famous muscle atrophy question?

If so, what's the new most-common question you hear about exos now?

Or is muscle atrophy still the #1 most common question in the field (as it has been for years)?