The Dnsys X1 is a lower-body “AI-powered” exoskeleton that’s designed to make movement easier on your leg muscles, joints and heart, essentially taking the stress out of walking. It’s designed as both a fitness aid and as a mobility device for people with impaired movement or a disability.
I suffer from a form of immuno-arthritis, which means I often have joint and mobility problems in my legs. Naturally, I was pretty keen to test out the X1 — this kind of tech could prove to be my lifeline in a decade or two’s time.
Most days, I love being a tech journalist. Today, though, as I write this after several hours of testing the Dnsys X1 exoskeleton in public, is not one of those days. Looking and sounding like Robocop (and being called it more than once) as I walked down the street was far from the least embarrassing experience of my life.
That said, the Dnsys X1 undoubtedly has huge potential, and those insults and strange looks may well be symptomatic of this device simply being ahead of its time.
Find out more in my full Dnsys X1 AI exoskeleton review.
Dnsys X1 exoskeleton review: Price & availability
The Dnsys X1 costs $1,299, so it ain’t cheap. During the current preorder phase (ends late March 2025), Dnsys is offering $300 off the X1, but $999 is still a fair chunk of money to splash out.
If you’re experiencing mobility issues which are solved by the X1, however, even the full MSRP could be a small price to pay to have your freedom back.
The X1 is available in small, medium and large sizes to accommodate various body shapes. Included with the X1 is a carry case, which the unit folds neatly into for easy stowage.
Dnsys X1 exoskeleton review: Design & controls
I won’t lie: wearing the X1 around in public was a tad embarrassing. I received more than my fair share of funny looks, and naturally heard the Robocop insult a couple of times, which figures. The X1 not only looks robotic, but sounds it too, generating an 80s sci-fi whirring sound as the leg supports move.
The X1 is worn around the waist, just below the navel, and indeed with its gunmetal brackets bears more than a passing resemblance to Batman’s utility belt.
Around the outside of the metal waistband sit the battery pack, limb motors and the main control unit. To turn the machine on, you hold down a button on the control unit until greeted by a distorted affirmative digital beep — very much the sound of cheap AliExpress electronics.
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The battery pack connects to the control unit with a braided cable, but they’re located on opposite sides of the waistband, meaning the cable wraps around half your waist and is easy to snag. The battery affixes to the waistband via a plastic slide, which is extremely easy to knock off during vigorous movement, resulting in me dropping the battery pack during testing.
Each limb motor features a button for adjusting the amount of movement assistance provided, although the controls are quite confusing. Next to each button (marked “Workout Assist + / -”) are four small LEDs — these show battery level, not workout assistance level, which is itself denoted by the color of large frontal LEDs. In testing, I couldn’t initially work out why I was pressing to increase workout assist but the four small LEDs weren’t changing.
Dnsys X1 exoskeleton review: Comfort
In general, the X1 feels extremely sturdy and is accordingly rather heavy, although you don’t notice its weight once it’s around your waist. On the inside of the belt are thick padded and breathable cushions, as well as an elasticated band for fit adjustment.
From the bottom of the limb motors protrude the plastic limbs, which attach to your original limbs via adjustable elasticated bands. These are very comfortable, as is the waist band when adjusted properly — at least for short-ish distances. I wore the X1 for an entire morning, including around 2 hours of walking around, and had no issues with chafing or serious discomfort.
One issue — the limb motors stick out quite a way from the waistband, which made a big difference to the gaps I could fit through while out and about testing. I scuffed the motors quite badly by knocking into bollards and railings while overtaking people on the street (I was walking a lot faster than them, as we’ll see later). Something you’ll get used to, I’m sure, but it feels so wrong to scratch up a $1,299 product so easily.
Dnsys X1 exoskeleton review: Performance
The Dnsys X1 defied my initial skepticism and impressed the hell out of me during testing.
I suffer from a form of degenerative immuno-arthritis, which affects my legs in particular, so I’ve spent periods of time unable to walk without aids. And that’s only going to get worse as I age. I can see the X1 being of genuine assistance to me and those with similar issues.
“AI-powered”
I’ll start by covering how the X1 works. Powered by each motor are plastic limbs which strap to the thighs, dragging your legs forward and upward to reduce the effort it takes to walk.
These days, of course, any product that uses an algorithm cannot but be described by its maker as “AI-powered”, and the X1 is no exception. According to Dnsys’ representative, the X1’s AI algorithm “intelligently predicts muscle exertion and provides seamless, adaptive assistance in real time.”
“Regardless of the user’s gait or sudden changes… the system instantly adjusts to deliver the optimal level of support.”
While employing an algorithm doesn’t necessarily make something “AI-powered”, I’ve gotta admit, the X1 clearly has some machine learning going on. You can feel the X1 learning your gait and adapting both its timing and force. After only a short time using the device, it begins to predict your movement and sends power to the limbs just before you actually move your legs.
Regardless of your mobility level of specific requirements, the exoskeleton should adapt to your walking pattern to provide optimal assistance.
Assistance
There are three assistance levels to choose from: Transparent, Eco and Sport. These dictate how much torque the motors apply to pull on your legs via the plastic limbs.
Transparent does exactly what it says, and isn’t noticeable — so much so that I question whether it’s actually doing anything.
Eco mode provides a little assistance, enough to be noticeable when walking. Turning to Sport mode, however, the difference was stark. I could immediately feel the X1 powering my legs as I lifted them. I was able to sustain high paces while walking around Bath, U.K., and its notoriously steep hills.
In Sport mode, assuming you’re not suffering any mobility issues, you can essentially walk at your maximum pace without expending much energy at all. If you are experiencing mobility issues, I can see sport mode helping you back to your normal pace.
Weirdly, you soon get used to the feeling of the X1 powering your limbs and stop noticing the support it’s providing. The moment you do stop, however, you realize just how much the exoskeleton helps.
After around 45 minutes of intense walking in Sport mode, I knocked off the X1’s battery, turning it off. The effect was jarring: I immediately came to a halt and felt unable to move my legs properly, as if my feet were stuck in mud. After a few seconds, my brain and muscles reprogrammed and I could walk normally, but it essentially demonstrated that I hadn’t been walking under my own steam for the last hour.
Hiking
Dnsys markets the X1 as being suitable for hiking, which I was initially a little skeptical about. Strapping a thick metal belt and plastic limbs around your waist and legs significantly hampers one’s peak flexibility — a fact that becomes immediately evident when putting the exoskeleton on.
You won’t be able to use the X1 for climbing, bouldering or scrambling. That said, my lower body movement was nowhere near as restricted as I thought it would be at the outset of testing. I was able to scale two- to three-foot ledges without issue when wearing the exoskeleton, so I’ve no doubt that easy or moderate hikes will be no problem.
Aqua modes
The X1 features two Aqua modes which simulate walking through water, with two stages of resistance.
Tough and quite the workout, yet low-impact, these modes have the potential to be extremely useful for anyone trying to build strength in their lower body — perhaps when recovering from an accident or as part of a daily exercise regime to treat mobility-related health conditions. They’re also just a good workout.
The X1’s Aqua modes are also beneficial for descending, the limbs and motors acting as a brace to allow quicker yet less strenuous descents while also preventing injury and excessive joint strain. I found descending steep hills on the slippery cobbled streets of Bath much less demanding on my knees than without the X1.
Dnsys X1 exoskeleton review: App
The Dnsys app serves as the X1’s primary method of control. While you can use the exoskeleton’s physical onboard controls to an extent, they’re extremely clunky and it can be difficult to figure out what mode you’re in. The app provides an easy way to visualize and change between modes.
The app provides real time insights, such as calories burned and hip ROM (range of motion). Unfortunately, this data is relatively useless. No total calorie burn figure is provided after a session, so you can’t track how much easier or harder your overall session has been.
The hip ROM metric is also relatively useless, as the app doesn’t tell you what’s good and what isn’t, nor your issues over time. The ‘% Force’ metric also goes unexplained. Is this the force that you’re putting in or that the X1 is applying to help you? And what does that mean? The dedicated tutorials section would be the ideal place for explainer videos, but none of the metrics are detailed there.
The Dnsys app is also janky as hell. It regularly freezes when switching modes, or tells you you’re in the wrong mode. Updating the firmware was also impossible for me, as the app just crashed each time.
As I mentioned in my Plaud Note review, I am supremely wary of technology that relies almost entirely on a smartphone app to function. I get even more anxious when that tech is as expensive as the X1, and when the app in question is as crappy.
Dnsys is a small brand. What happens in the realistic prospect it goes under? What if Dnsys simply decides to stop updating its app? The answer: you’re left with a $1,300 fancy dress outfit, and you’ll be going as a Starship Trooper to every costume party for the next 20 years.
Dnsys X1 exoskeleton review: Battery life
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Dnsys markets the X1 as being able to extend your maximum hiking range. Not with this battery life, though. Each 1,000 steps in Sport mode equated to 10% of charge during testing, so you can expect 10,000 steps from a battery. Hardly a long hike. I certainly wouldn’t want to be wearing or carrying a dead X1 for the other 20,000.
Of course, you can extend your range with a second or third battery: for another $139 a pop.
However, for general daily use around town or the house, 10,000 steps should be plenty — that’s the recommended healthy step count here in the U.K., and many people (including myself) regularly fail to hit it.
Dnsys X1 exoskeleton review: Verdict
The Dnsys X1 is a bit of a diamond in the rough. There is so much potential here for people with mobility issues, disabilities or those who want support to improve their fitness. In testing, the X1 provided noticeable and useful assistance, in genuinely meaningful ways.
Uphill climbs and walking were much easier for me when using the device, while descents were much more stable — both of these will be supremely useful in helping those with lower body mobility issues stay mobile, or get their freedom back.
The X1’s Aqua modes are also very promising for people looking to build back their strength, and I can see this device being a great physiotherapy aid.
Dnsys needs to finesse the X1 more, though, given its price. Thankfully, that’s all eminently possible, as the primary way to make this product better is by improving the smartphone application: making it less janky and more insightful.
As I mentioned up top, $1,299 is a lot of money, but think about it this way: if that money could give you your independence back or prevent you losing it, wouldn’t you spend it? I know I would.