The world of wearable tech is continually expanding — from heart rate to glucose monitors, but is a wearable robot possible? It seems so.

A group of South Korean scientists have designed an exosuit made of fabric weighing less than half a kilogram to help people with neuromuscular diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy move their arms with ease.

Just like real muscles, the tiny “muscle” springs made of smart metal inside contract and relax with heat. The suit has the look and feel of real clothing and can be controlled with a smartphone app to adapt support levels.

Eight people have tested the suit and have reported 50 percent improved shoulder movement and 20 percent less difficulty performing daily tasks.

Muscle strain was also reduced, meaning users needed less effort to move.

The research team aims to make the suit smarter and able to naturally respond to the wearer’s motions.

The research was published in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

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