JINAN -- During this year's Spring Festival, Mount Tai in East China's Shandong province, one of the most iconic mountains in the country, introduced an innovative exoskeleton robot.

The wearable device, designed to assist with climbing, has garnered attention for its ability to make the arduous ascent at Mount Tai more accessible and enjoyable, especially for the elderly and mobility-impaired visitors.

"It really works. Once I put it on, my legs didn't hurt anymore. It felt like someone was pulling me uphill," Li Chengde, a 68-year-old tourist from the provincial capital of Jinan, said after trying on the device.

Developed jointly by the Taishan Cultural Tourism Group (TCTG) and the Shenzhen-based high-tech company of Kenqing Technology, the exoskeleton, weighing just 1.8 kg, wraps around the wearer's waist and thighs. Powered by artificial intelligence, it senses the wearer's pace and movement, providing synchronized assistance to reduce fatigue and joint strain.

Launched on Jan 29 with 10 units rented for trial operation, the device attracted more than 200 users at 60 yuan (about $8.37) to 80 yuan per use in the scenic area during the holiday, which ran until Feb 4. Half of those who opted to rent the device were elderly people.

Wang Houzhe, deputy Party chief of the TCTG, said the exoskeleton robots were introduced to allow elderly visitors the opportunity to experience the mountain's beauty firsthand.

"Some elderly tourists want to enjoy the scenery along the way, but sitting in a cable car limits their view. With the help of these robots, they can truly experience the joy of climbing," he said.

The introduction of such exoskeleton robots has sparked broader discussions about their potential applications in elderly care, particularly with China facing the challenges of an aging society.

The latest data shows that by the end of 2024, the population aged 60 and above in China was 310 million, accounting for 22 percent of the country's total population. It is predicted that this percentage will further rise to 30 percent by 2035, with the elderly population to exceed 400 million by then.

Eyeing this vast elderly care market, Kenqing Technology, which focuses on R&D, production and sales of exoskeleton robots, has released a lightweight exoskeleton designed for elderly users, integrating advanced sensors and motion control systems to assist with walking, running and climbing, said Yu Yunbo, general manager of the company.

Yu added that the company aims to release a new robot model this year, featuring lighter materials, smarter algorithms and enhanced adaptability to the physical needs of elderly users.

According to estimates, the market size of smart elderly care in China had reached 6.8 trillion yuan in 2024.

Notably, the Chinese government has issued policies encouraging the development of smart elderly care.

A national guideline to advance the silver economy, issued in early 2024, proposed the creation of a new model of intelligent health and elderly care, promotion of the application of intelligent nursing and domestic service robots, and development of the rehabilitation assistive device industry.

Last month, another national guideline on deepening the reform and development of elderly care services proposed acceleration of the development and application of elderly care technology and information technology.

Bi Yalei, secretary-general of the Shenzhen Robotics Association, said that policy-supported market cultivation is necessary to promote the large-scale application of elderly-care robots and make their prices more affordable -- an assessment Yu agrees with.

"The large-scale application of these technologies will drive down costs, making them more affordable for families," Yu noted.