无证之罪

外骨骼，真的那么管用吗？,外骨骼，真的那么管用吗？_我的网站

一 |     　　外骨骼，真的那么管用吗？(百姓关注)　　“无动力源更高效”“省力100斤，找回年轻脚步”……近年来，外骨骼产品引人关注。这种辅助性设备，在辅助行走、康复训练、登山搬货等领域，给一些行动不便的人或特殊工种人员带来便利。    Editor's Note: 
In an era of profound global shifts and increasingly complex regional dynamics, a proper understanding of the world must be rooted in "grounded experience" and localized insights. Global Times English edition, in collaboration with the Academy of International and Regional Communication Studies, Communication University of China, is proud to launch "Local Insights," an English-language column dedicated to original, field-based observations.
We invite Chinese scholars and professionals who are studying, conducting exchanges, or working outside China, as well as international students and friends living and studying in China who are familiar with the social contexts of their home countries or third countries, to begin from first-hand field experience and engage with social, cultural, and contemporary issues beyond China. In the fifth article of this column, drawing on her on‑the‑ground experience as a Chinese exchange scholar, the author observes a South Africa Freedom Day memorial gathering, revealing how local politics unfolds through collective singing, dancing, and grassroots participation, while also reflecting on the gap between political liberation and economic justice.
As a PhD student, I am currently on an exchange program at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, with support from the China Scholarship Council. Since arriving here, I have developed a habit of stepping beyond campus whenever possible. Community meetings, municipal events and public gatherings have become a vital way for me to engage with local life. This time, a local friend recommended that I attend a memorial event in Kariega, organized by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in honor of its former president, Phumzile John Gomomo. Beyond that, I had little sense of what kind of gathering I was about to enter.
It was on the way that I noticed the streets were unusually vibrant. Groups of people were dressed in colorful attire, with bright Xhosa headscarves and garments bearing political symbols. My friend then reminded me that it was April 27, which is Freedom Day in South Africa. On this day in 1994, South Africa held its first non-racial election, formally ending apartheid and inaugurating democratic rule. Over the past three decades, Freedom Day commemorates political liberation, while also inviting recurring reflection on whether the promise of freedom has been fully realized. In that sense, Freedom Day marks an important moment for observing contemporary South African politics and social sentiment.
    

    The aerial view of Johannesburg, South Africa Photo: VCG
From street to hall: Entering Freedom Day
The event was scheduled to begin at 10 am, and we arrived shortly before the hour. Yet there were not many people present. Banners of COSATU, the South African Communist Party (SACP), and the African National Congress (ANC) had already been displayed inside the hall, quietly framing the political context of the gathering. Although my understanding was still limited, I could already sense that their presence mattered. COSATU, SACP and ANC represent key forces in South Africa's political landscape, historically linked through the "Tripartite Alliance" formed during the anti-apartheid struggle and sustained in various forms since 1994. I could see that this was not simply a local gathering, but one embedded within a much longer political tradition.
What struck me first was how different the atmosphere was from what I had expected of a political gathering. There was no sense of urgency or visible tension. My friend introduced me around, and we greeted each other through handshakes, embraces and brief conversations, with a familiarity that suggested long-standing connections. Someone also greeted me with "ni hao." The early autumn wind carried a chill that felt almost like winter. However, the mood was unmistakably different. A sense of warmth emerged from the way people related to one another.
We took our seats in the front row. As I looked around, the hall was gradually filling up. I noticed that people wore headscarves, skirts and short-sleeved shirts layered under heavier coats, with ANC insignia visible in various forms. Every time I made eye contact with someone, they would respond with a warm smile. Even as the only foreign face in the hall, I felt no sense of awkwardness or exclusion.
         The author takes a photo with Babalwa Lobishe, Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor and ANC regional chairperson. Photo: Courtesy of He Yue
When music preceded speech
The atmosphere felt far more open than I had imagined. There was no formal signal from a host. Yet, almost imperceptibly, singing and dancing began to fill the space. At first, it was only a few voices. Then others joined. A group of older women stood up, stepping lightly as their bodies moved with the rhythm. Their arms tracing steady patterns in the air, moved with an ease that suggested a deep sense of rhythm. Around them, others began to join in. Someone clapped, someone responded in song, while others stepped forward into the center, aligning themselves with the unfolding rhythm.
Before I fully understood what was happening, someone gently pulled me into the group. I followed, trying to imitate the movements. It didn't take long for me to realize that participation did not depend on learning the steps. Once inside, you were already part of it. 
Meanwhile, a more distinct call began to emerge, repeated at intervals: "Amandla" (Power) "Awethu" (To the People). The words rose above the singing and then dissolved back into it. Song, chant and movement overlapped, making it difficult to distinguish where one ended and another began. At that moment, I found myself wondering: was this a political gathering, or a celebration?
It was not until around midday that the event formally began. Speakers gradually took their places, and the hall shifted into a more structured atmosphere. What I did not expect, however, was that the mayor I had followed on social media was among those arriving. Seeing her there came as a surprise. I didn't expect to see local officials there, let alone find myself within what was clearly part of their political life.
The memorial lecture brought together members of the ANC, alliance partners and the broader community in a moment of reflection and renewed commitment. The gathering honored the enduring legacy of Phumzile John Gomomo and his immense contribution to the struggle for workers' rights and social justice. 
They reflected on Cde John Gomomo as one of the most dedicated worker leaders produced by the Congress Movement, emphasizing unity, organization and ongoing activism as essential to advancing the goals of the democratic movement. Gomomo was an icon in the labor movement. He devoted his entire life to serving workers and is remembered as a hero of the struggle for freedom, democracy and workers' rights. His contributions were situated within the broader historical moment of South Africa's transition to democracy - a transition whose achievements are commemorated each year on Freedom Day, marking the political liberation attained in 1994.
The lecture also raised a question that resonated widely: when political freedom was achieved, did it also translate into economic freedom? Gomomo's legacy was not only invoked as history, but also a lens through which to examine the present.
Speakers highlighted the ongoing challenges facing workers today, including high unemployment and the rising cost of living, which continue to strain working-class households. Against this backdrop, unity, organization and sustained activism were presented not as symbolic gestures, but as necessary responses.
The themes of the lecture aligned closely with the spirit of International Workers' Day, linking past struggles with present realities and ongoing demands. In this sense, the lecture stood not only as a tribute, but also as a call to action, urging those in attendance to carry forward the values, discipline and commitment that defined his life of service.
After each speaker delivered their speech, people rose from their seats, singing and clapping. The officials on stage joined in as well, blurring the distinction between speaker and audience. The atmosphere remained lively, with an almost continuous sense of energy. Gradually, I began to realize that the event was not simply a commemorative one, but rather a form of political practice.

         At a Freedom Day commemoration, participants use song and rhythm to express political memory and labor solidarity. Photo: Courtesy of He YueA moment of presence
What stood out to me was that the mayor mentioned China in her speech. She spoke of the strong relationship between China and South Africa, noting the presence of Chinese automotive companies in Nelson Mandela Bay and expressing hope for further cooperation. After her speech, I was invited to take a photo with her. She shook my hand, welcomed me as an international student in South Africa, and expressed her positive view of China.
I also had a brief exchange with Xolile Nqatha, the provincial secretary of the SACP in Eastern Cape. Reflecting on the history of leftist movements in South Africa, he noted that both the SACP and the Communist Party of China were founded in 1921. He also remarked that it remains rare to see Chinese scholars present at such gatherings. I had not imagined that I would be speaking with government officials, which initially caught me off guard. For me, this brief encounter made China's presence in South Africa feel less like a matter of diplomatic language and more like something embedded in local political life.
The event continued until around 3 pm. As I stepped outside, the surrounding streets were noticeably more crowded. The parking area was nearly full. Roadside vendors were selling clothing marked with political symbols, and media crews remained on site, documenting the scene. People left gradually. Many paused to exchange farewells, embracing one another before leaving, as if the rhythm of the gathering had not yet fully ended.
The experience reshaped my understanding of what a political gathering could be. In a global context where political expression is increasingly fragmented, a mode of public engagement built around rhythm and participation offers a different way of understanding political life. Here, politics did not take shape solely through institutions, procedures or formal speech. It could be serious, yet also warm. It could be articulated through language, but it could just as readily take shape through song, movement and collective response.
This year also marks the 32nd anniversary of the end of apartheid. It represents the restoration of dignity, equality before the law and the collective promise that South Africa would never again be a society governed by exclusion, injustice or oppression. In the community, I saw how residents engaged with the local government, participated in decision-making processes and worked collectively to build safer, more inclusive neighborhoods. For me, the gathering became an entry point into contemporary political life in South Africa, revealing something that cannot be fully grasped from a distance.
The author is a PhD student in African Area Studies at the College of Foreign Languages, Zhejiang Normal University
。然而，市面上的产品质量参差不齐，有些外骨骼实际效能与广告宣传相差甚远，令消费者颇有意见。　　浙江的安女士带着老父亲在一家门店试用了一款价值1万余元的外骨骼，当时老人感觉良好，家人随即下单。可回家后外骨骼的实际使用效果与店内体验完全不同。“我父亲真正使用外骨骼后感觉腰部很累，且怕摔倒，最终不敢再用。”安女士说。　　安女士认为，门店试用环境与家庭实际使用场景存在差异，消费者凭短暂试用外骨骼难以判断产品是否真正适合家中老人。　　上海的周女士也遇到外骨骼腰部承重过大的问题。她看到商家宣传称，“外骨骼可以让走路更轻松”，便买了一款，试用后却发现外骨骼“特别重，压力都给了腰部”，她戴了仅5分钟就觉得腰痛，父母也觉得外骨骼重不愿佩戴。尽管商家最初承诺外骨骼“可以试用一个月”，周女士申请退货时仍被收取了2000元试用费。　　周女士认为，商家所谓外骨骼“可以试用”，却并未明确告知还有试用费，实为“有偿试用”甚至变相收费。　　记者在网络平台搜索外骨骼发现，有商家在评论区承认“腰部不好的不适合用”，但商品页面却未作明确风险提示。评论区大量用户询问“脑梗瘫痪能用吗”“腰突压迫神经能用吗”“膝盖做过手术能用吗”，并未得到商家回复。　　还有消费者反映，外骨骼在辅助抬腿、行走等动作时有省力效果，但若要经常穿戴则会面临其他问题。一名网友给年近70岁、腿脚不便的母亲买了两款外骨骼产品，结果发现：外骨骼电机辅助抬腿有省力效果，但该外骨骼后腰处零件凸起，坐下时需拆卸才能靠椅背；外骨骼腿环无上下滑动结构，绑太紧或身材较高可能会造成皮肤擦伤；外骨骼对下蹲、承重动作无减速保护。　　还有消费者反映，有的外骨骼产品存在设计缺陷。

二 | 网友黄先生给患有偏瘫的老人购买了一款外骨骼，但因老人腿脚无力，抬腿达不到机器设定的高度阈值，外骨骼无法启动。“因为老人抬不起腿才需要辅助设备，这款外骨骼却因为腿抬得不够高不能启动。”黄先生无奈地说。

三 | 　　商家对于外骨骼的虚假宣传问题同样值得注意。媒体报道，有消费者在短视频平台看到一款“柔性外骨骼机器人”广告，号称外骨骼能辅助行动不便的人重新走路，于是花980元下单，收货后却发现没有电机、没有芯片、没有电池，只有一堆黑色的松紧带。　　北京大学先进制造与机器人学院教授谢广明表示，若要称为“外骨骼机器人”，必须包含动力系统、传感系统和控制系统，有感知、决策、执行的闭环。这类仅由弹簧、松紧带构成的产品，属于被动式助力装置。

四 | 因此，“弹簧绑带外骨骼机器人”的宣传，属于概念混淆甚至有意误导消费者。　　记者在网上搜索发现，外骨骼的价格从数百元到数万元不等，有的宣称能“节省体力”，有的强调可提供30%至50%的助力，还有的声称能减轻40斤到80斤的负重。谢广明表示，价格差异通常取决于技术复杂度、材料和加工成本，以及是简单的助力机构还是完整的机器人系统。

五 | 　　外骨骼对患者康复或老年人真的有辅助作用吗？对此，从事20多年康复研究的首都医科大学附属北京康复医院康复诊疗中心副主任王寒明给出了肯定的答案。　　“医疗上应用的主要是康复外骨骼机器人，不同于市面上的外骨骼，这种专门医疗器械价格一般在数十万元至数百万元之间，有着严格的行业标准，而且工作原理也有所不同。”王寒明说，“比如我们的外骨骼机器人都是有支撑、有跑台的，这样外骨骼本身的重量不会压在人的身上，同时髋膝踝每个关节活动从负的多少度到正的多少度，都有标准。通过这样的外骨骼辅助步态训练，是能够帮助使用者提升运动能力的。”　　对于消费者反映一些外骨骼产品“腰部承重过大”“刹不住车”“助力方向有误”等问题，谢广明表示，“这些问题是当前行业核心痛点。作为外骨骼产品，上架前必须经过充分的测试，由于目前一些外骨骼产品游离在医疗器械和消费品之间，存在监管空白，因此厂家在产品设计和质量把关上存在不严谨问题。”　　那么，如何才算一款好的外骨骼产品？王寒明表示，“首先要性能稳定，保证使用者的安全，不能走着走着把人摔倒了。其次应当是舒适好用，步态模式良好，让使用者感觉行动自如。

六 | 还应当有急停装置，患者感到不舒服时，能一键或者自动停止。”　　对于如何规范机械外骨骼产品，提升产品性能和消费者体验，谢广明建议，应明确产品的属性和详细分类，根据种类不同，建立不同的监管标准。其次，企业应强制披露必要信息，特别是测试数据，最好引入第三方认证，类似家电CCC认证等，避免虚假宣传。此外，还要加大市场监管力度，避免滥用“机器人”概念，夸大产品性能。　　(人民日报 记者 赵兵；张鑫源参与采写)。

七 |

Current article:http://fligyl.chengjuecannaobianmouqueduoyu.shop/gqgpnd/20260826/12722.html

Published on:19:00:11