Hiking can be hard. So can trail running. Even harder than both of those? Performing a rescue in the woods. 

That’s why Seattle Mountain Rescue is using exoskeleton legs, under the brand name Hypershell, that you can wear on your legs to basically...  help you move. 

The hope is that these mechanical legs will help the volunteer rescue team navigate rough terrain and steep inclines to quickly get to people on the trail. 

We drove out to North Bend to see exactly how this gear works. 

Guest: Wes Cooper, an Emerging Technologies Director at Seattle Mountain Rescue. 

Related links: 
Seattle Mountain Rescue deploys exoskeletons as second team in U.S. to use the tech | KING 5
I Hiked Using Robot Legs in the Grand Canyon. I Didn’t Even Need My Cane | CNET
I Hiked a Mountain Wearing $2,000 Robotic Legs. It Was a Walk in the Park. - WSJ

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Hiking can be hard. So can trail running. Even harder than both of those? Performing a rescue in the woods.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s why Seattle Mountain Rescue is using exoskeleton legs, under the brand name Hypershell, that you can wear on your legs to basically... <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/hiked-using-robot-legs-grand-canyon-didnt-even-need-my-cane/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us">&nbsp;help you move</a>.&nbsp;
The hope is that these mechanical legs will help the volunteer rescue team navigate rough terrain and steep inclines to quickly get to people on the trail.&nbsp;
We drove out to North Bend to see exactly how this gear works.&nbsp;
Guest: Wes Cooper, an Emerging Technologies Director at Seattle Mountain Rescue.&nbsp;
Related links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-mountain-rescue-deploys-exoskeletons-second-team-in-us-use-the-tech/281-80153332-116e-497f-95b3-41a990ea2072">Seattle Mountain Rescue deploys exoskeletons as second team in U.S. to use the tech | KING 5</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/hiked-using-robot-legs-grand-canyon-didnt-even-need-my-cane/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us">I Hiked Using Robot Legs in the Grand Canyon. I Didn&rsquo;t Even Need My Cane | CNET</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/robot-legs-hypershell-x-ultra-tested-e8a254e2">I Hiked a Mountain Wearing $2,000 Robotic Legs. It Was a Walk in the Park. - WSJ</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

We went to North Bend to test out the Hypershell, which this organization is using for search and rescue missions on hiking trails.