Developed with Wirobotics; weighs just 1.6 kg

Supports walking, stair climbing and hiking

Aging population drives wearable robots into everyday life

A walking-assist wearable robot. [Coway]
A walking-assist wearable robot. [Coway]

Coway is expanding its rental business beyond home appliances such as water purifiers, air purifiers and mattresses into wearable robots.

The company said Tuesday it has unveiled a walking-assist wearable robot designed for seniors and will begin taking pre-consultation reservations ahead of an official launch next month.

The new product is a wearable robot developed in partnership with robotics firm Wirobotics. It is designed to support the user's walking strength across a range of activities, from casual strolls and stair climbing to hiking.

Weighing 1.6 kilograms, the device attaches to the waist with a main unit and connects to the legs via straps. It can be worn over everyday clothing and supports multiple walking modes — including lower-body exercise, hiking and slow jogging — depending on the environment and the user's purpose.

A companion app provides a "smart walking report" feature that lets users track their gait patterns and monitor changes over time. The product comes in three colors — pebble gray, pale navy and sand beige — and will be available exclusively through rental.

The launch signals a broader shift in the rental industry, as companies move beyond traditional home appliances into senior healthcare and robotics. Wearable robots, long confined to rehabilitation and industrial settings, are increasingly finding a place in daily life as tools for walking support and exercise, driven by an aging population and advances in lightweight technology.

Wirobotics has also been targeting the aging-tech market with its wearable robots. Demand for everyday walking-assist robots is emerging particularly among seniors — users in their 70s and 80s account for more than half of those visiting walking exercise centers that use the technology.

Customers who make a pre-consultation reservation and sign a new rental contract will receive a 50 percent discount on two months of rental fees. Reservations can be made through Coway's website or through visiting sales representatives known as Cody.

"As wearable robots expand beyond medical and industrial settings into everyday life, consumer attention is growing," a Coway official said. "We will continue to introduce a variety of rental products that make daily life more convenient, in line with evolving customer needs and lifestyles."


boo@heraldcorp.com