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Warrior Web from DARPA aims to boost muscles, reduce fatigue and injury (video)
The US military's dabbled with full-on robotic suits in the past, but it's now looking at a less convoluted, more energy-efficient approach. A project called Warrior Web from DARPA aims to enhance soldier carrying capacity and minimize injuries by distributing loads better, providing better joint support and "reapply(ing) energy to enhance motion." Such a suit would be equipped with sensors to detect forces, and be able to fit beneath existing uniforms while consuming only 100W of juice. The US Army has nearly completed five months of prototype testing using a multi-camera motion capture system (see the video after the break) to develop critical tech. The next step will be to design and fabricate a suit ready for real-world testing, which should happen in the fall -- assuming the program keeps its footing.
Ekso Bionics' robotic suit eyes-on (video)
Since last we saw the Ekso Bionics robotic suit, which helps folks with lower-extremity paralysis or weakness to stand up and walk, the $110,000 exoskeleton has been on the market for about a year. About 30 have sold so far, and the company's director of marketing and communications, Allison Sojka, reckons that medical centers have already helped rehabilitate somewhere between 500 and 1,000 patients. By allowing them to stand up and walk, the bionic suit not only helps users overcome issues like bone density loss and neuropathic pain related to their condition, but also to gain reams of confidence -- an oft-overlooked factor in the recovery process. The production model is a polished-looking assemblage of aluminum and judiciously placed titanium and carbon fiber, along with sensors, motors, joints, off-the-shelf DSPs and custom circuitry and software. Two lithium-ion batteries power the device (four are included), each of which will go for three to six hours after charging for an hour or so, allowing continuous use of the suit by facilities. Three walk modes are available, namely FirstStep, which is actuated by a therapist with a button push; a user-controlled mode called ActiveStep; and ProStep, which senses user body cues for movement control. The suit also provides audio feedback to help users achieve ideal positioning and transmits stats and data for further review and reporting. Sojka said that the company will release new variable-assist software option in June that'll let patients contribute from zero to 100 percent of the walking power, with the exoskeleton providing the rest -- though there's no pricing yet for that update. To hear her describe how the suit works and see it in action with patient Sarah Anderson, check the video and gallery after the break. %Gallery-183025%
Cyberdyne demos lower-body HAL exoskeleton for helping the disabled, not eradicating mankind (video)
Cyberdyne's HAL (Hybrid Assistive limb) robotic suit has been kicking (stumbling?) around for years now, and at this year's Cybernics International Forum, the company demoed a couple of new iterations of the technology. We've seen the heavy-duty version of the technology scale a Swiss peak, but the new demo showcased a lighter and leaner lower-body suit (not unlike Lockheed's HULC system) meant for helping those with muscle diseases remain ambulatory. The differences between the new rig and previously seen full-body exoskeleton -- meant for use by health care professionals and factory workers to aid in heavy lifting -- are less robust servos and a slimmer profile allowing wearers to worry less over their looks and more over living their lives. Peep the bipedal bionics in action after the break.
Raytheon's Sarcos XOS 2 military exoskeleton just does the heavy lifting -- for now
Raytheon's XOS 2 has a right hook that can rip straight through a wall, but Dr. Fraser Smith assures us that death-dealing variants are still a good ways off. We caught up with the good doctor earlier today, who's been working on the military-grade exoskeleton for eight years, and quizzed him on the hows and whys of building a would-be Iron Man. Find out what we learned after the break, and see the mean machine in our gallery below!
