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Just going for a walk in New York in my Bionic shoes. I'm wearing Defy. These are a supported kind of an exoskeleton-l like system that launched at CES, but actually went on sale in January. And this is my first time wearing any sort of exoskeleton. And Defy is specifically aimed to make it easier on your ankles, which is fascinating. The system here, which cost about $4,500, is one that uses specialized shoes that securely lock in to these shin devices that I wear here that are motorized. They kind of feel like wearing boots. So, they're they're comfortable. The shoes are very comfortable. And this part feels like a nice
shin boot support. And when you're walking, they begin to recognize your gate without an app. And they use AI to kind of calibrate. And you're meant to walk normally. And then when I walk, I start to feel this kickup spring in my step that's coming from here. And it's like a little kick like that can be brought up to three different power levels. The two is the one I've been doing most of the time. And it feels really noticeable. And at first it feels like, wow, am I meant to change how I'm walking, but no, you're meant to just walk the way you're normally walking. Kind of get used to that feel. Defy started by testing uh with
the military and seeing how this worked for um for people who had issues with their body and walking and the research that the company has done has shown that it's had benefits not only in how your ankles function but also for longevity of your knees and your hips. So the power uh benefits are meant to extend up and they are comfortable. I mean, they definitely have a little bit of a heavier leg feel, kind of like wearing walking boots, but they already feel I mean, I can't tell because I haven't walked in them for a whole day. But the idea is that if you were having discomfort, if you're having uh issues walking,
these could potentially work very well for you. They also fall right in that middle zone for like medical wellness device. So, you'd have to consult with a doctor and see. They're uh that you can use medical flex spin on these, but you know, would it be the right solution? You kind of have to figure it out. It's all changing landscape. But unlike those ones that kind of go up to your hips, this is about really that ankle support zone and how it would feel there. But I feel like there's going to be more types of devices like this that start to emerge, especially as
the robotics landscape starts to borrow a lot of those ideas and cross-pollinate, kind of making the prosthetics and the robotic systems both work better. What I can say is that these actually feel pretty normal. And even despite the uh the unusual looks, I'm just fascinated to go for my first walk in a getup like this. So I feel like a power I feel power walky. It's very power walky. So who is Defy for? Well, according to the company, it's for people who might want to walk longer and are finding it harder to do so. Maybe that's because they're aging or it's their
ankles or their knees, something like that. That's where the support is targeted at. I mean, would a doctor recommend that? Well, that's the fuzzy zone. That's something that a lot of these companies are working towards figuring out. When does a doctor feel like it's a good choice? Is it proven out? Does it feel like the best fit for you? I'm curious because I'm getting older. These legs are getting more tired and there's a lot of this tech emerging and Defy is already working with Nike on a project called Amplify. Nike Amplifier are powered shoes that should be coming out around 2028 built on similar tech
and this is like an early first taste of that. There's a lot of these types of devices that are coming out for different needs. This is the first time I've worn any of them on my feet. If you have questions or comments, let me know down below. And thanks for walking with me.
