Vigx blog

A Practical Look at the VIGX Pi Plus Performance Numbers

The VIGX Pi Plus, an exoskeleton you wear on your legs, has several key specs that often show up in product descriptions: 15 Nm of torque, a 30 percent effort reduction, 15 assist levels, and a total weight of 4.6 pounds. While these numbers can seem abstract when deciding if the device suits your needs, they are there for a reason. This article is meant to give you a more intuitive understanding of what the numbers mean, and how an exoskeleton like the VIGX helps make hikes, runs, walks, and bike rides easier. 15 Nm of Torque Put simply, torque is how the push from each step of the VIGX is measured—measured in newton-meters (Nm). While the VIGX can deliver up to 15 Nm (which, again, may not mean much to most people), the actual assistance you experience depends on your movement and the selected setting. On flat ground at lower settings, the help is gentle, while on steep climbs, you absolutely feel it more. During walking, the assist is a steady help that improves endurance. each step is just that much easier. It's not a forceful shove or a lifting sensation; the steps you take are yours...the feeling is that it's kind of moving with you, gently helping. Put in other words, the same hike, walk, or run becomes easier, with each step requiring less effort from your legs. 30 Percent Effort Reduction The device essentially makes up 30 percent of the work done by your hip, quadriceps and calf muscles. What it doesn't do is affect your lung-thumping numbers. As your legs are not fully working, your cardiovascular system is under less strain. Nonetheless, there are indirect benefits. But the headline number focuses on leg effort, not lung effort. The usefulness of the device will depend, for most of us, on what normally limits us during lengthy strolls or hikes. If it is our legs, and not our breathing or other processes, that conk out first, the exosuit should assist us. The reason is the 30 percent. With most of us, it's our legs that give out. Going up a hill, you can usually keep going if you slow down, but even the best will in the world can't keep your legs moving if they've run out of fuel. The 30 percent figure highlights this problem. That said, the device also has a powerful effect on recovery. Your legs aren't working as hard with every step you take, so you're less sore the next day. While that may not sound like much, for us, it's enough. It allows us to do a hike on Saturday without missing a beat on Sunday, and the ability to be consistent in our activities is new to us. You can more consistently string activities together, which is a big deal. 15 Assist Levels There are 15 levels of assistance that you can adjust up or down using two buttons on the belt. Fifteen on a big hill feels like being pulled up the hill. Ten feels like a great boost on a long hike. Five is great for long walks, with just enough support to matter for endurance. The belt buttons that adjust the strength of the support are easily accessible without looking, and you can adjust them mid-stride without stopping. This detail is more significant than it may seem. If you had to stop and look at a screen to change settings, you wouldn't actually do it during a hike. Tactile buttons allow you to adjust as conditions change, which is what makes the level system useful. ~4.5 Pounds The full device, including both batteries, weighs about four and a half pounds. This number is important because anything you wear on your body has to justify its presence. Adding 4.6 pounds to your backpack would slow you down and cost you energy. However, the VIGX is different because it provides assistance as you walk. The math works out the other way: the help you receive exceeds the cost of carrying it, at least that is how it feels. Users report that the device starts to feel lighter the longer they wear it. By the thirty-minute mark of a walk, your legs feel less fatigued than they would have without the device, even though you are technically carrying more. The weight distribution is also cleverly designed. The majority of the weight is positioned at the waist, near your center of gravity, where your body efficiently handles weight. The leg rods and straps carry significantly less weight individually. Consequently, the device doesn't feel concentrated in any particular spot, and you quickly become accustomed to its presence. How These Numbers Work Together These four specifications are not independent. They are designed to work together, and the combination is what makes the device practical for real-world use. A heavier device with the same torque would be impractical to wear. Conversely, a lighter device with reduced torque would provide insufficient assistance to be meaningful. Fewer levels would limit your ability to adjust to your activities. Larger numbers in any one category would have resulted in a subpar product, not an improved one. Why the Numbers Actually Matter The best way to interpret these specs is to consider the problem you're trying to solve. If you're an elite athlete seeking an edge in competition, this device may not be the right fit. It's built for a much larger group of people who want more access to their favorite activities at a reduced cost. The numbers are accurate and reflect the device's capabilities. Whether they justify the purchase depends on whether the device's functionality aligns with your actual needs. For many people considering this device, the match is closer than they anticipate. For more information about the VIGX Pi series, visit vigx.ai.