The problem with exoskeletons isn’t that they aren’t powerful enough… it’s that they aren’t human enough. We’ve been raised on the idea of mecha suits like the ones in Iron Man, The Matrix, and Elysium, but that’s sci-fi, not real life. Enter Dnsys, a company that’s looking at the future of humanity through a different lens – not the glamorized Hollywood one, but rather, one that’s steeped in practicality, functionality, and clever human augmentation. Their Z1 knee exoskeleton strips away the sci-fi theater and gets down to business with a device that looks more like premium athletic gear than a piece of military hardware. No, this isn’t about creating super soldiers or warehouse workers who can lift cars. It’s magnifying what your body can do, so you’re a more powerful version of yourself, with a touch of bionic coolness!
Founded in 2021 by robotics experts from industry giants like DJI, Segway, and Xiaomi, Dnsys has quickly established itself as a pioneer in consumer-grade exoskeleton technology, with their successful hip exoskeleton X1 already impacting lives. The Z1 enters a market where consumers increasingly seek technology that doesn’t just monitor performance but actively enhances it. Your watch tells you how much you trekked, the Z1 pushes you to do double of what you’d normally do. Your body experiences wear and tear with age and an overtly active lifestyle, the Z1 just pushes your limits, so your body is one step ahead of your mind, and ten steps ahead of the average human. It’s perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, workers who rely on physical labor, and just elderly people (or differently abled) who could use the help of a machine to make their lives easier.
Designer: Dnsys
Click Here to Buy Now: $699 $1,099 (36% off). Hurry, only 16/30 left! Raised over $820,000.
The Z1 represents their next evolutionary step – a dedicated knee exoskeleton that promises to reduce joint pressure, improve stability, and make standing up effortless. What makes this particularly interesting is how it addresses the specific pain points of outdoor enthusiasts. Your knees absorb tremendous impact during outdoor activities – up to 700% of your body weight while skiing, 500% during hiking, and even 300% when simply walking downstairs. These repeated impacts silently damage knee health over time, something I’ve personally experienced after two decades of weekend warrior adventures. The Z1 directly targets this problem with a system that not only reduces impact stress but actively assists your movement, effectively making you feel lighter and more capable on the trail. After seeing what Dnsys has accomplished with their previous product, I’m genuinely excited about what the Z1 could mean for extending our active years in the outdoors.
At the heart of the Z1 sits Dnsys’s proprietary DNA-1 motor, delivering an impressive 900W of power directly to your legs. This isn’t just marketing hyperbole – the motor provides up to 50Nm/kg of torque with a power-to-weight ratio of 0.76, comparable to a Formula One race car. For context, this allows the system to reduce the pressure on your knees by up to 200% of your body weight (that’s up to a maximum of 77 pounds of reduced burden). The practical impact is substantial: testing shows users can hike an additional 15.5 miles and climb an extra 9.3 miles in elevation compared to unassisted hiking. The motor works through a unique force transmission system that simultaneously delivers power to both the back of the thigh and calf, creating a lifting and pushing support mechanism that doubles the effective output. This dual-point power delivery significantly improves movement stability while hiking, especially on technical terrain where balance becomes critical. The system activates within 0.01 seconds of detecting movement intent, thanks to integrated torque, position, and force sensors that provide real-time data to the control system.
Despite its impressive power output, the Z1 weighs just 1.5 pounds, making it the lightest exoskeleton in its class. This featherweight design results from extensive material optimization, including strategic use of carbon fiber at key support and connection points, combined with flexible 3D-knitted fabric featuring a ribbed structure for comfort and secure fit. The three-point support structure efficiently transfers motor power to the strongest parts of the leg while maintaining an ultra-streamlined profile that doesn’t interfere with natural movement. Users can put it on in approximately 15 seconds, and its modular design accommodates different body shapes through adjustable components. The built-in algorithm automatically calibrates based on size changes, ensuring consistent support regardless of body type or wearing style. This attention to ergonomics means you can wear the Z1 all day without the fatigue or discomfort typically associated with wearable tech, even during intense movement like jumping or rapid direction changes.
The intelligence behind the Z1 is equally impressive, with a DNNAS (Dynamic Neural Network Assist System) deep learning algorithm trained on real-world data from over 400 professional testers and more than 1,500 hours of motion trials. This AI system runs on a dual-core 240 MHz processor working alongside two high-speed motor control processors, predicting muscle activation in real-time and driving precise torque output using a 40,000 Hz FOC algorithm. The system recognizes and automatically switches modes for different activities – walking, running, jumping, squatting, sitting, or standing – and intelligently adapts to various terrains including flat ground, slopes, stairs, trails, forests, and gravel. The longer you use the Z1, the more it learns your specific gait patterns, whether your steps are light and subtle or large and uneven, providing increasingly personalized stability assistance. The system has been tested for thousands of hours and includes safety features that detect abnormal movements to prevent falls, particularly important when navigating challenging backcountry terrain with a heavy pack.
Power management represents another area where Dnsys has implemented thoughtful engineering. The Z1 uses high-density lithium-ion batteries with a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that enables downhill regenerative charging, providing an additional 9.3 miles of range on mountain terrain. In fact, the battery can fully recharge during extended downhill sections, and the KERS technology prolongs overall battery life by 20%, maintaining 80% capacity even after two years of intensive use. The battery supports high-rate discharge at 10 times its capacity, while the optimized motor design minimizes energy loss during operation. For longer expeditions, the Z1 features a patented blade-style connector that allows for quick battery swaps without interrupting your activity. The system supports universal USB-C PD fast charging, enabling you to gain approximately 20% battery capacity in just 8 minutes using a standard mobile phone charger – perfect for a quick top-up during lunch breaks on the trail.
The practical applications extend well beyond basic hiking assistance. The Z1 offers multiple specialized modes for different activities. When skiing, it powers your knees for longer enjoyment on the slopes, allowing you to press harder for precise edge control and smoother turns, particularly beneficial for carving and quick direction changes. The system helps you jump higher and land more safely with improved balance. For cyclists, a dedicated riding mode delivers up to 450W of assistance, effectively electrifying any standard bicycle with the click of a button. Multiple sensors and AI algorithms predict pedaling intentions and deliver precisely timed assistance, whether you need athlete-level bursts of power or simply want to reduce fatigue on long rides. The Z1 also features a Training mode (upgraded from the previous Aqua mode) that provides motor-assisted stretching, targeted muscle training, and damping support to improve flexibility, activate specific muscle groups, and strengthen lower limbs – essentially turning the device into a portable gym for rehabilitation or conditioning.
With IP54 protection and cold resistance down to -20°C, the Z1 is built to handle unpredictable outdoor conditions. Nine integrated safety modules deliver comprehensive protection from wear checks to component testing, ensuring reliable performance across diverse environments. For users of Dnsys’s previous X1 hip exoskeleton, the Z1 offers complementary functionality. While the X1 focuses on speed and endurance with incremental leg lift assistance, the Z1 prioritizes power and protection by boosting steps, relieving knee pressure, and making users feel up to 44 pounds lighter. The two devices can be worn together, creating the world’s first consumer-grade exoskeleton with coordinated hip-and-knee assistance through Dnsys’s exclusive smart algorithm. However, the company recommends switching between the Z1 and X1 based on different usage scenarios for optimal experience.
Although its fairly high-end price tag puts it primarily within reach of dedicated outdoor enthusiasts, the Z1 brings capabilities previously reserved for military applications or medical settings into the consumer space. The Kickstarter campaign has already generated substantial interest, with early backers securing their units through a $10 reservation deposit system. As production scales and the technology matures, we can expect costs to decrease further, potentially making such devices as common on popular hiking trails as GPS watches and trekking poles are today.
Click Here to Buy Now: $699 $1,099 (36% off). Hurry, only 16/30 left! Raised over $820,000.
The post Dnsys Z1: The $699 Knee Exoskeleton That Turns You into a Superhuman first appeared on Yanko Design.