AI-Powered Exoskeletons Clinical Trials: Wandercraft Quest to Help Millions Walk

AI Summary: Nicolas Simon, driven by his family's experience with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, co-founded Wandercraft to create AI-powered exoskeletons that can revolutionize mobility for people with impairments. Their Personal Exoskeleton, utilizing "physical AI" and NVIDIA technology, aims to allow users to walk at a normal pace, navigate various environments, and overcome obstacles like stairs, moving beyond rehabilitation to enable true independence and potentially improve health outcomes for millions worldwide.

May 13 2025 08:37
For Nicolas Simon, the mission to revolutionize mobility technology isn't just a business venture—it's deeply personal. Two-thirds of his family members, including his brother, use wheelchairs due to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, an inherited genetic condition affecting muscle and nerve function.

"It's essential for the exoskeleton to be fast enough that it can be used in the real world," Simon explains. "By integrating NVIDIA AI into the device, we can someday enable users to walk at an average pace, cross the road and go up and down stairs."

This vision is now becoming reality as Wandercraft, the company Simon co-founded in 2012, begins clinical trials for its Personal Exoskeleton, an AI-powered device that could transform the lives of millions of people with mobility impairments.



The Personal Exoskeleton represents a significant leap forward from Wandercraft's first product, the Atalante X. While Atalante X is already FDA-cleared and used in over 100 clinical settings worldwide for rehabilitation purposes, the Personal Exoskeleton aims to bring this technology into everyday life.

What makes this possible is the integration of "physical AI"—artificial intelligence systems that interact with and respond to the physical world. The exoskeleton continuously adapts to a user's movements in real time, supporting smooth and stable walking across different surfaces from concrete to carpet to tile.

Users control the robotic system with a joystick, and the AI handles the complex calculations needed for balance and natural movement. This represents a fundamentally different approach from traditional mobility aids, which typically lack the ability to adapt dynamically to changing environments.


Simon founded Wandercraft alongside Matthieu Masselin and Jean-Louis Constanza, whose son also has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. What began as a project to help their loved ones has expanded into a mission with global potential.

An estimated 80 million people worldwide require wheelchairs for mobility. For many, the health implications of prolonged sitting include increased risks of cardiovascular issues, skin problems, and digestive conditions. Wandercraft's technology offers not just mobility but potentially improved long-term health outcomes.

"With this technology, we can enable people to move around and access the environment of the city," Simon says. "My hope is to see my device in the streets—of New York at first, but in every city in the U.S."


Building an exoskeleton that can safely and effectively support human movement requires enormous computing power. Wandercraft is accelerating its development by harnessing NVIDIA technologies, including:

• NVIDIA Isaac Sim for simulating and testing AI-driven robotics solutions in virtual environments
• NVIDIA Isaac for Healthcare developer framework
• NVIDIA Jetson Thor, an edge computing platform built on the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture

This three-computer solution enables Wandercraft to train, simulate, and run its advanced AI systems efficiently. The company's approach mirrors techniques used in developing humanoid robots but applies them specifically to wearable exoskeletons.


The technology isn't just theoretical. At the NVIDIA GTC global AI conference in March, Wandercraft demonstrated its prototype with Caroline Laubach, a spinal stroke survivor and full-time wheelchair user. The company's exoskeleton technology was also featured in last year's Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relay.

Clinical trials are currently underway in New York and New Jersey, with Wandercraft actively recruiting additional participants. The company aims to complete these trials within the year and immediately apply for FDA clearance.


If approved, Wandercraft plans to make the Personal Exoskeleton accessible to millions of wheelchair users in the U.S., with expected Medicare coverage to help address cost barriers.

For people with spinal cord injuries, stroke, and neuromuscular disorders like Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, this technology represents more than just a medical device—it's a pathway to greater independence and integration into everyday life.

The progress also illustrates how personal motivation can drive technological innovation. What began as an engineering student's desire to help his family has evolved into a potentially transformative technology for millions.

The technology is there—you just have to build the device, we take all the technology from the field of humanoid robotics, and we apply it to our exoskeleton. So now, the possibilities are endless.