Severance Hospital is leading the clinical development of a government-backed project to create an AI-powered wearable exoskeleton that enables people with severe paralysis to control robotic movement using brain signals. The seven-year initiative has secured approximately $13 million in government funding, with total investment expected to reach about $19 million through additional private contributions. The project aims to develop what researchers describe as a "bidirectional brain-AI-robot" system that not only translates a patient's movement intentions into robotic actions but also delivers sensory feedback from the device back to the user.
The technology is intended for people with conditions such as cervical spinal cord injuries and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where both movement and sensation can be severely impaired. Artificial intelligence will interpret neural activity captured from the brain and translate those signals into commands that control a full-body wearable exoskeleton. At the same time, the system is designed to return tactile, pressure and posture information from the robotic device to the user's nervous system, creating a two-way communication pathway aimed at restoring more natural movement and sensory perception.
The project brings together a consortium of nine institutions, with Angel Robotics developing the exoskeleton, KAIST leading AI-based brain signal processing, DGIST advancing brain interface technologies and Seoul National University Hospital overseeing brain electrode procedures. Severance Hospital will direct clinical trials, patient recruitment and safety evaluations, while several major hospitals will support testing. Development is planned in multiple phases through 2032, culminating in regulatory approval and commercialization. The initiative forms part of South Korea's broader national strategy to accelerate advanced medical device innovation and reflects growing global interest in AI-driven neurotechnology and robotic rehabilitation.
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