Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em: AI-powered robotic hosiery helps millions with foot drop disability

Two Harvard engineering students and Army veterans have developed Sole1, a robotic sock that uses artificial intelligence to help people with foot drop, a walking disability affecting thousands. The device just won the US James Dyson Award and could offer a more comfortable, less visible alternative to existing bulky braces that have remained largely unchanged since the 1940s.

The big picture: Bradley Wagman and Viktor Bokisch are leveraging their military experience and engineering expertise to create assistive technologies for disabled veterans and others facing mobility challenges.

• Both veterans sustained injuries during their service—Wagman from parachute training and Bokisch from deployment-related wear—leaving them partially disabled and motivated to “give back to this community.”
• They met in a Harvard bioengineering class and discovered a shared passion for improving assistive technologies for soldiers and others with physical challenges.

How it works: Sole1 combines an ankle bracelet computer with shape memory alloy filaments woven into the sock to automatically correct foot positioning.

• An ankle bracelet contains a computer and inertial measuring unit that tracks ankle position, connecting to electrical contacts on the sock.
• Filaments made of “shape memory alloy”—a springlike metal that flexes when heated—run toward the toe of the sock and pull the foot upright when activated.
• A predictive algorithm measures the forefoot angle relative to the ankle with every step, sending power to the filaments when drooping is detected.
• The AI system learns the wearer’s gait patterns over time to improve performance.

In plain English: The sock works like a smart helper for your foot. A small computer worn around the ankle monitors how your foot moves, and when it detects your toes starting to droop downward, it sends a tiny electrical signal to special metal threads in the sock that contract and gently pull your foot back into the proper position—similar to how a marionette puppet’s strings control its movements.

Why this matters: Foot drop significantly impacts quality of life and can “basically unravels people’s lives,” according to Wagman.

• The condition causes the front of the foot to droop forward when lifted, leading to toe-dragging, trips, falls, and compensatory walking patterns that damage joints and spine.
• Foot drop affects millions as a symptom of stroke, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, and cerebral palsy.
• Current solutions include metal and plastic braces that Wagman describes as “very cumbersome” and largely unchanged since the 1940s.

What experts think: Virginia Tech associate professor Alan Asbeck sees promise in the low-profile design approach.

• “It looks like the design of this one is really low profile,” Asbeck said. “I do think there is a need for this general sort of thing.”
• However, he noted he hasn’t tested the Sole1 to verify its effectiveness.

What’s next: The team plans to price Sole1 between $1,000 and $2,000 and is recruiting volunteers for real-world testing.

• If successful, they hope to develop more ambitious robotic devices for arms and legs that remain powerful but nearly invisible.
• Their ultimate goal, according to Bokisch, is creating “cool cyberpunk gear that young men and women are stoked to wear.”