The StepUp NEO on display at FRT Robotics' MWC26 booth was not the heavy iron suit most people picture. It was closer to "smart workwear" designed to protect a worker's back — a wearable robot, known in industry as an exoskeleton, worn like clothing to assist lower-back strength.

Containing no electronic components or motors, it uses a passive (non-powered) mechanism. There is no battery to charge; you simply put it on like a jacket, which allows continuous use over long periods.

Trying on StepUp NEO with help from booth staff felt like strapping into a safety harness before a bungee jump — a snug fit, like wearing a climbing harness and seatbelt at the same time.

The most striking moment came when lifting a heavy load and straightening up. It delivered a vivid sense of assistance, as if someone were pushing upward with both hands between the lower back and hips — the way a helping hand feels on a steep uphill climb.

How does it generate force without a motor? The answer lies in air pressure. An internal actuator uses air pressure to create tension. When squatting and rising, or bending and straightening the back, the actuator responds instantly, distributing body weight and load to add a lifting boost. A booth representative explained: "Too much force could push the body upward, so we customize the force level — 10, 12, or 14 stages — to match the user's muscle strength."

Some products on the market use wire-based systems to cut weight down to around 1 kg. StepUp NEO, however, maintains a weight of about 3.6 kg. This is not a matter of insufficient technology: where real force is required, as on factory floors or construction sites, a certain physical mass is needed to provide proper assistance and stable support. The weight is noticeable at first, but once the assistance kicks in during lifting, the suit's weight largely fades from awareness. It seemed accessible even for older workers, and for the many women working in agriculture and care settings.

The real value of this wearable robot shows in workplaces with heavy repetition. An FRT Robotics representative said word has already spread among elderly workers at Korean pear farms — enough that StepUp NEO has its own "fans." At the MWC exhibition, interest ran high enough that a buyer from the Middle East asked on the spot about purchasing options.

FRT Robotics testing verified that wearing StepUp NEO reduces muscle fatigue by up to 43% and muscle exertion by an average of 25%. Its applications look wide open — agricultural work involving repeated bending and straightening, care workers who must lift patients, and construction and logistics sites handling heavy materials.

FRT Robotics is looking beyond selling machines, mapping out a plan to accumulate worker motion data and expand into "physical AI." This summer, a 'Powered NEO' model is scheduled for release, adding a motor to existing muscle assistance to support walking as well. There is no flashy showmanship here — but the evolution of a Korean wearable robot quietly protecting the backs of real workers is worth watching.