The first exoskeleton you can walk in hands-free is now FDA cleared

Sept 17, 2026

Every personal exoskeleton until now came with an asterisk: you balanced on crutches or a walker while the robot moved your legs. Wandercraft's Eve removes the asterisk. Twelve motors in the hips, knees, and ankles balance the device itself, so the person wearing it stands and walks with their hands free — and if power fails, it lowers them gently to the ground.

The FDA cleared Eve in August 2026 as the first self-balancing personal exoskeleton, for adults with spinal cord injury — notably at any injury level, which widens who can qualify compared with earlier devices. US launch came September 17, 2026, distributed through National Seating & Mobility, with use alongside a trained companion. In the pivotal clinical trial, the first 16 participants to complete it all met the mobility goals with no serious adverse events.

Why it matters to the question we care most about: Medicare has covered eligible personal exoskeletons since 2024, and Wandercraft expects Eve to qualify.

Sources: MobiHealthNews · Rehab Pub · News-Medical