A new wearable 'exomuscle' can give anyone extra strength without needing to spend hours in the gym.
The Myoshirt is an exoskeleton for the upper body designed to help those with limited mobility or even disabilities gain stronger user of their arms.
Using smart sensors and cables, the wearable creates artificial muscles to help you lift objects and exercise more easily. It looks a bit like a leather vest and fits snugly under a shirt, so nobody would be able to tell if you were wearing one.
The vest can even be personalised to your own preferences and movements, meaning you could use it to become as strong as an ox.
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A study of the device featured 12 participants, including two people with disabilities and ten 'without any physical impairments.
All of them were able to lift their arms and objects for much longer while wearing the vest, and reportedly helped to increase 'healthy' subjects' physical endurance by a third.
Meanwhile, a participant with a spinal cord injury was able to perform exercises in the study for three times as long, highlighting its potentially life-changing impact on those with physical disabilities.
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The scientists behind the prototype invention say they want to begin testing it outside of a lab while making it smaller and lighter.
Currently, it weights 4kg, so if you're incapable of lifting that much, it could be uncomfortable to wear.
Researchers say they are also working with a 'soft exoskeleton' company in Switzerland to incorporate the wearable into a full robotic suit, which could have uses in everything from construction to the military.
The Russian army is reportedly working on its own exoskeleton suits which could give soldiers deadly cyborg powers on the battlefield, sparking major ethics concerns.
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