Robot helps children walk as part of pilot project at Calgary schools

Robotic walking device will support students with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

A University of Calgary project is exploring the use of robot-assisted walking devices called Trexos. The project’s director says such devices have been shown to have many benefits for children who cannot walk. She spoke to CBC Radio’s Loren McGinnis, host of the Calgary Eyeopener. Photo credit: University of Calgary

CBC News Calgary September 07, 2025

A new pilot project at two Calgary schools aims to allow children who may have never walked before to do so with a little robotic help.

The Trexo walking device, a made-in-Canada project, is a wearable exoskeleton — essentially a walker with robotic legs — that will guide a child’s legs forward using motors at the hips and knees.

Dr. Elizabeth Condliffe, who heads the project through the Pediatric Onset of Neuromotor Impairments (PONI) Lab at the University of Calgary, said it opens up new possibilities for children with conditions like cerebral palsy and spina bifida.

“It’s a way of interacting with others that they haven’t done before, a way of moving through the environment that they may not have experienced before, or not as experienced as easily or as fast,” Condliffe told the Calgary Eyeopener this week.

Condliffe’s team recently received a grant through the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation to carry out the pilot project. Eight students with neurodevelopmental disabilities at Renfrew Educational Services and Pacekids will put the robotic aid to the test.

Seven-year-old Izzy Sheldon is pictured using the Trexo walking device at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Submitted by Angela Gosselin

Seven-year-old Isabella (Izzy) Sheldon got the chance to use the Trexo at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. She was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, a severe neurological disorder that inhibits the use of her motor skills and means she is non-verbal, at two-years-old.

“Izzy was one of the lucky ones that really took to it,” said her mother Angela Gosselin. “She had a fantastic time practicing in it.”

Gosselin said aiding Izzy to use a walker can be a physically demanding task, and the exoskeleton allowed her the opportunity to take a step back and enjoy the moment.

“It’s really cool,” said Gosselin. “It’s nice to be able to be beside her and hold her hand and walk alongside her. That’s something that most parents don’t realize is a privilege for able-bodied kids.”

Beyond the assistance in walking, Condliffe said they have tracked other benefits to using the device, including improved cognitive development, bone health and even sleep patterns.

Cost near that of a ‘luxury car’

The Trexo walking device can improve the lives of children with neuromotor impairments.
Courtesy of Elizabeth Condliffe, University of Calgary

It will not be the first time the tech has been used in schools, but the project aims to collect more on-the-ground analysis about how school boards and administrators could best put them to use.

“What we’re really trying to do is take the next step toward achieving a way that [children with disabilities] can sustainably access them,” said Condliffe.

Access is an issue because they’re not cheap — Condliffe compared the pricing to that of a luxury car.

A device designed specifically for one child to use costs more than $40,000, while Condliffe says one that allows use by multiple children could cost double that.

Gosselin hopes the research can help introduce the devices to more families.

“We want [it] to be accessible across the board to all families, where this could be a game changer for them and their child so that it’s not cost-prohibitive,” said Gosselin.

“I think as these kind of technologies advance even more, then it’s possible even for somebody like Izzy to live in the world in a more inclusive way.”

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener

Source CBC News Calgary