Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The “bionic knees” in this story were external mechanical braces tested by the Canadian Army in 2016—not implanted joints, robotic replacements or equipment delivered to the U.S. Army. Spring Loaded Technology’s UpShot braces used a passive spring mechanism intended to absorb some impact and return energy as the knee straightened. The announcement described a field evaluation, not a confirmed operational rollout.
What the Canadian Army received
In July 2016, Halifax-based Spring Loaded Technology announced an initial delivery of 60 UpShot knee braces to Canada’s Department of National Defence under a C$1 million contract. The plan was for 190 braces to be tested by the Canadian Army. The announcement framed the work as field testing, including assessment of how the braces performed in training and fit with soldiers’ equipment. Spring Loaded Technology’s July 13, 2016 announcement gives those contract and testing details.
The dramatic “the Army just got” phrasing came from a Futurism article published July 20, 2016. Here, “the Army” meant Canada’s Army, not the United States Army. And “got” meant braces were supplied for evaluation, not that they became standard issue.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How the UpShot brace was meant to work
The UpShot was an external brace built around what the company called a “liquid spring.” Its reported operating idea was passive: the mechanism stores some energy as the wearer bends the knee, absorbs some shock, then releases stored energy as the leg straightens. The intended effect was to assist movement and reduce the effort associated with repeated bending or carrying loads. It was not a motor producing powered thrust, and it did not create energy.
#1 Best Overall
- Polycentric Hinges: Bilateral polycentric hinges protect knee ligaments from lateral forces and hyperextension
- 4 mm Perforated Neoprene: Optimal balance of firm compression, therapeutic warmth, and breathability
- Adjustable Thigh & Calf Straps: Increases ligament stability with secure, customizable compression that adapts to movement
- Open Hex Buttress: Open hex foam buttress stabilizes the kneecap, relieves pressure, and supports natural movement
- Open Popliteal: Improves breathability and comfortable fit behind the knee
- Bend: As the knee flexes, the brace’s spring mechanism compresses and stores energy.
- Absorb: The mechanism is intended to take up some impact during movement.
- Straighten: Stored energy is returned to assist extension.
This basic energy-storage-and-return description also appears in the company’s account of its civilian Levitation brace. It describes a mechanical assist, not biological integration or robotic control.
Why the military was interested in knee assistance
Infantry work can involve carrying heavy equipment while walking, climbing, crouching or kneeling across uneven ground. Armour, helmets and weapons cannot simply be removed to make movement easier, so the military interest was in managing the physical cost of loads and repeated movement. A knee brace could, in principle, help absorb some impact or assist repeated extension without adding a battery-powered exoskeleton.
Rank #2
- Stabilizes the Knee During High-Risk Movement: The Four-Point Leverage System supports vulnerable ligaments during cutting, landing, and rapid direction changes.
- Helps Prevent Knee Hyperextension: FullStop dampening hinges activate as the knee approaches full extension, helping avoid at-risk positions.
- Provides a Secure, Personalized Fit: Four adjustable straps and easy-grip pull tabs make it simple to fine-tune compression and support during activity.
- Balances Compression with Breathability: Durable neoprene provides supportive compression, while breathable mesh helps manage heat for greater comfort
- Supports Proper Patellar Tracking: The open hex-shaped foam buttress surrounds the kneecap to help guide patellar movement while allowing comfortable knee flexion.
That is a human-factors problem, not proof that a wearer becomes stronger in every task. A brace adds hardware to the body, and its usefulness depends on whether it fits, stays comfortable and works with the wearer’s movement and equipment. Assistance that helps during lifting may not be equally useful while sprinting, crawling, jumping or moving over awkward terrain.
What the “100 pounds” claim does—and does not—say
The 2016 coverage described the braces, when worn on both knees, as helping soldiers lift more than 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of body weight. That is a claim reported by the company and coverage at the time, not an independently established result for every wearer or every task. It does not mean a brace adds 100 pounds to a person’s lifting capacity, nor that one brace provides that assistance. The announcement does not give a controlled-trial protocol or measured results that would let readers interpret the figure as a general performance guarantee.
Rank #3
- Hinge technology and a four-point leverage system trains users to stay out of the "at-risk" position through a dampening cycle of the hinge
- Specific Uses For Product: ACL Injuries, Meniscus Injuries, Moderate Ligament Sprains of MCL, LCL, and PCL, Patella Support, Hyperextension Prevention, Joint Instability, Post Surgery Protection
- Compression and thermal heat regulation keeps you from overheating; Anti-migration technology prevents sleeve movement
- Adjustable straps enable greater customizability for a more secure, personal fit; Reflectivity for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions
- Designed to treat and protect ACL and meniscus injuries, joint instabilities, moderate ligament and tendon sprains, hyperextension, and patella support | Intended for use in sports similar to football, soccer, skiing/snowboarding, basketball, lacrosse, or volleyball
“Bionic” was a label, not a technical description
UpShot was an assistive knee brace. The 2016 material does not describe an implanted artificial joint, a replacement for a missing limb, or a powered exoskeleton with motors and batteries. In common technical use, those are distinct categories:
- External brace: worn around the leg to support or assist movement; UpShot fits this description.
- Prosthetic knee: part of an artificial limb used to replace missing limb function.
- Orthopedic implant: a device surgically placed inside the body.
- Powered exoskeleton: a wearable system that actively assists movement, typically using motors, actuators or another power source.
“Bionic” was promotional shorthand for the brace’s assistive function and energy-return mechanism. A comparison in the 2016 coverage to the power of a powered exoskeleton does not establish that UpShot was itself powered or performed like a robotic system.
Rank #4
- Bilateral polycentric hinges with hyper extension stops help to support knee instability
- Specific Uses For Product: MCL and LCL Instabilities, Knee Hyperextension, General Meniscus Support
- Top and bottom stretch webbing closure with TPR pull tabs delivers precision fit
- Wrap around design offers increased comfort and easy on/off
- Anti-migration technology helps to eliminate slip; Perforated neoprene for maximum breathability | Reflectivity for enhanced visibility in low light conditions
Field testing was not the same as deployment
The announced program was an evaluation. The company described testing for field performance, training use and compatibility with soldiers’ existing kit; the hoped-for benefits included less fatigue and protection against knee injury. The announcement does not report test outcomes, injury-rate data or independent measurements. It also does not establish that all 190 planned units were delivered, that the braces entered standard service, or that the trial led to a procurement decision.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFor a reader assessing what the project proved, the key distinction is between a plausible mechanism and demonstrated outcomes. Whether the brace measurably reduced fatigue, changed speed or load carriage, lowered injury risk, or worked reliably in mud, snow, cold and rain is not answered by the cited 2016 announcement. Nor does it establish how often soldiers wore one brace versus a pair or how well it accommodated running, crawling, kneeling and other field movements.
Best Value
- Stabilizes the Knee During High-Risk Movement: The Four-Point Leverage System supports vulnerable ligaments during cutting, landing, and rapid direction changes.
- Helps Prevent Knee Hyperextension: FullStop dampening hinges activate as the knee approaches full extension, helping avoid at-risk positions.
- Provides a Secure, Personalized Fit: Four adjustable straps and easy-grip pull tabs make it simple to fine-tune compression and support during activity.
- Balances Compression with Breathability: Durable neoprene provides supportive compression, while breathable mesh helps manage heat for greater comfort
- Supports Proper Patellar Tracking: The open hex-shaped foam buttress surrounds the kneecap to help guide patellar movement while allowing comfortable knee flexion.
The civilian Levitation brace and its historical price
Spring Loaded Technology also marketed a civilian product called Levitation, described as using similar liquid-spring technology. The company’s July 2016 announcement listed it for preorder at C$2,380 and said consumer shipping was expected to begin in September 2016. That is a historical price and shipping expectation, not a current offer or evidence of current availability.
Coverage positioned the civilian brace for activities such as crouching, walking and jumping, and for people interested in mobility or knee-pain support. Those are product-positioning claims; the cited material does not establish clinical effectiveness for a particular condition or show that the product is appropriate treatment. Anyone considering a brace for pain or injury should seek current clinical guidance rather than infer medical benefit from a military evaluation.
What is known about what happened next
The available 2016 announcements establish a contract, an initial delivery and an intended Canadian Army evaluation. They do not establish later adoption, trial results, present-day UpShot or Levitation availability, current pricing, or medical and regulatory status. The procurement reference linked from the company announcement is Canada’s Build in Canada Innovation Program page; the cited material does not provide a later outcome record that resolves those questions.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The meaningful story is narrower than the headline: Canada explored whether a passive wearable mechanism could ease some demands on soldiers’ knees. The “bionic” framing made the idea sound robotic, but the announced technology was a mechanical brace whose military value remained to be evaluated.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
