Functional 'Variable Assist' Exoskeletons 


What is ESKO?




  • Facilitates intensive step dosage over ground

Who is it for?


  • Accommodates an unprecedented spectrum of patients in motor ability



How is it used?

ESKO provides functional based rehabilitation, over ground gait training, and upright, weight bearing exercise unlike any other. It has been designed for the needs of busy therapists treating a wide range of patients in a single day. The suit is strapped over the users´ clothing with easy adjustments to transition between patients in as little as five minutes.


  • Step Generator software helps get patients walking in their first session to quickly achieve work on gait patterning or step dosage

  • Progressive step modes facilitate patients’ escalating skills

  • A tool to enforce proper biomechanical alignments and symmetrical gait patterns over ground

Audio Cues

The Ekso suit provides audio cues to the user when ideal lateral and forward spatial targets are achieved to initiate a step. Training Mode is used to determine the ideal weight shift targets for a user that is preparing to progress to ProStep.


A physical therapist actuates steps with a button push. The user progresses from sit to stand and using a walker to walking with crutches, often in their first session.


User take control of actuating their steps via buttons on the crutches or walker.


The user achieves the next step by moving their hips forward and shifting them laterally. The Ekso device recognizes that the user is in the correct position and steps. ProStep Plus™ Steps are triggered by the user’s weight shift PLUS the initiation of forward leg movement.   

Variable Assist

What is it?

Variable Assist is a new feature which allows clinicians to augment their patients’ strength and provides the ability to strategically target deficient aspects of their gait.  This means weak patients can now get up in a stable environment sooner, while helping them achieve optimal gait patterns and high step dosage. It engages patients by challenging their abilities;  balancing the physical effort they exert with the amount of help they need to achieve a more normalized gait.

How does it work?

Variable Assist works by allowing individuals with any amount of lower extremity strength to contribute their own power -- from either leg -- to achieve walking over ground. Based on the therapeutic goals, therapists now have the option to assign a specific amount of power contribution to augment their patients’ efforts, or to allow the ESKO suit to dynamically adjust to their needs in real-time


How is it used?

Now clinicians can provide therapy to a wider range of clinical presentations including hemiparesis, and to explore the effects of various interventions by tuning the power contribution to either leg. For example, the therapist may assign a higher power contribution to produce a quality gait, or less power contribution to challenge the patient’s walking efforts.  This encourages patients to actively contribute to their recovery process and can challenge them with progressive rehabilitation.

Bilateral Max Assist

Using Bilateral Max Assist, the ESKO suit provides full power to both legs. No strength is required from the patient: only proper balance and weight shifts are required to achieve walking.

Adaptive Assist

When working in Adaptive Assist, patients with any amount of lower extremity strength contribute what they can to their walking efforts. ESKO dynamically adjusts to produce a smooth, consistent gait. Feedback is provided to the therapist about the amount of power needed from ESKO for patients to complete each step in a specified amount of time.

Fixed Assist

Using Fixed Assist, either leg of the ESKO contributes a fixed amount of power (levels 0-100) to help patients complete steps in a specified amount of time. Values are established using information gained while walking in Adaptive Assist and assigned by the therapist, allowing the clinician to explore the impact of various interventions on rehabilitation goals. 

OXYMED Australia

643 Chapel Street South Yarra 3141 Australia

T: +61 3 9826 9898  E: info@oxymed.com.au