Coway Adds Walking-Assist Wearable Robot to Rental Lineup

Coway, the South Korean home appliance rental company known for water purifiers, air purifiers and mattresses, is moving into wearable robotics. The firm announced Tuesday that it has developed a walking-assist wearable robot with robotics maker Wirobotics and will offer it exclusively as a rental product.

The device weighs 1.6 kilograms and attaches at the waist, with straps connecting to the legs. It can be worn over regular clothing and offers multiple walking modes, including lower-body exercise, hiking and slow jogging, adjustable to the user's environment and goals. A companion app includes a "smart walking report" feature that tracks gait patterns over time. The robot will be available in pebble gray, pale navy and sand beige.

Coway is taking pre-consultation reservations now, ahead of an official launch next month. Customers who complete a pre-consultation and sign a new rental contract will receive a 50 percent discount on two months of rental fees. Reservations can be made via Coway's website or through its in-home sales representatives, known as Cody.

The company frames the launch as part of a broader expansion of its rental catalogue beyond traditional appliances into senior health and robotics products. A Coway official said the company would keep introducing rental products suited to changing customer needs, according to The Herald Business.

The move reflects a wider trend of wearable robots moving out of rehabilitation clinics and industrial sites into everyday consumer use, driven by an aging population and lighter, more wearable designs. The article notes that users in their 70s and 80s already make up more than half of visitors at walking exercise centers that use similar technology, suggesting a ready market for Coway's rental model among older consumers seeking mobility support for daily walks, stairs and hiking.

Sources: The Herald Business — original article.