Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have created a device, known as an exoskeleton, that can lighten the loads you carry on your back.

In this month's issue of the International Journal of Humanoid Robotics, MIT researchers say their prototype can support 80% of an 80lb (36.3kg) load carried on a person's back.

The exoskeleton transfers the weight of a heavy backpack directly to the ground, effectively taking the load off a person's back.

But there is one catch.

The current model affects the natural walking gait of the wearer.

Conor Walsh, a graduate student who worked on the project, says you can "definitely tell it's affecting your gait" but "you feel less stress on your upper body".

The research team was led by Hugh Herr, principal investigator of the Biomechatronics Group and associate professor in the MIT Media Lab.