Move over, Tony Stark. The Spanish National Research Council(CSIC) has unveiled the first exoskeleton aimed at children with spinal muscular atrophy. That's a degenerative disease that robs people of physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, eat, or breathe. Caused by a genetic mutation, it is the number one genetic cause of death for infants.

The device is made from aluminum and titanium, weighs about 26 pounds – which might be more than the kid wearing it – and lets children walk who might otherwise be completely unable to on their own. It may also be used in hospitals for muscle training therapy.

The structure consists of orthotics which are adjusted and adapted to the legs and trunk of the child. A series of engines form the joints, which mimic the functioning of human muscle and provide the child the force she lacks to stand and walk. Its battery holds a charge for five hours of autonomous activity.

"The main difficulty in developing this type of pediatric exoskeleton is that symptoms of neuromuscular diseases, such as spinal muscular atrophy, vary over time in joints throughout the body. So we needed an exoskeleton able to adapt to these variations in an autonomous way. Our model includes intelligent joints that modified stiffness automatically, and adapt to the symptomatology of every child at every moment," explains the Elena Garcia, a researcher with the CSIC's Center of Automation and Robotics.

The exoskeleton is aimed at children aged between three and 14 years. The minimum age limit was imposed due to the minimum placement lengths of the five engines on each leg, and the complexity in controlling the exoskeleton.

The device specifically addresses type 2 spinal muscular atrophy. This sub-type is diagnosed between the ages of 7 and 18 months and children suffering from it would normally never walk. Their life expectancy is conditioned by the lack of mobility.

The technology, which has already been patented and licensed jointly by the CSIC and its technological company Marsi Bionics, is in the pre-clinical stage