About CAPABL
The robot isn't the point. What you get to do is.
CAPABL helps you understand and compare devices you wear to help you move. We explain what they do, where the information comes from and what to check before buying.
I'm Cody Jacox, a physical therapist and the founder of CAPABL.
I've spent years studying how people move and what makes it hard. Even at an airport, I find myself watching how people walk and wondering what might help.
In late 2025, I tried my first consumer exoskeleton, a Hypershell. It was marketed largely toward hiking, but I immediately started thinking about everything else this technology might make possible.
What about someone who wants to keep up on vacation? Or someone who can still walk, just not as far as they'd like?
That curiosity led me to explore more devices, connect with manufacturers and researchers, and eventually notice a much bigger problem.
You could spend thousands of dollars buying an exoskeleton online, but finding somewhere independent to understand, compare, or try several of them was surprisingly difficult.
That's why I started CAPABL.
Today, I also lead the Breathing Center of Houston's clinic in The Woodlands and serve as founding director of the Institute for Cardiopulmonary Mobility. My work with movement, breathing and heart and lung conditions shapes the questions I ask about these products.
I'm excited about what this technology could make possible, but I care just as much about figuring out its limitations.
Nobody dreams about wearing a machine. They dream about being able to go the extra mile.
CĀPABL Clinicians is a network in development. We’re inviting licensed healthcare professionals to help shape future tests of devices that help people move. Explore the founding network.