Exoskeleton Technology

[bulok]

http://ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?&aid=61474

An exoskeleton that can be worn by a human is a new type of robot under development at Tsukuba University. It's called Hybrid Assistive Limb, HAL for short, and anyone who wears it has potential to lift up to 10-times the weight they normally could.

“It depends on his original power, because this robot suit is controlled by the assist ratio,” says Yoshiyuki Sankai of Tsukuba University. “Usually we set it at 50% or 60% or 70%. If he is a very weak person we set the assist ratio at 90%, so at that time you say 10 times.”

HAL works by figuring out what the wearer's muscle are doing. The suit then simply reacts.

“The command signals from the brain are transmitted to the muscles through the motor neurons, and we can detect such faint bio-electrical signals on the surface of the skin, and these signals are calibrated into the computer here, and after that this computer controls these power units so he can move or upgrade his power,” says Sankai.

And believe it or not, sometimes the suit interprets those electrical signals more quickly than the wearer's muscles. In other words, it moves before the human muscle does.

The last note is interesting, since the exoskeleton moves before your body does, will that give you "super speed" ?

Regardless, I want one of these babies.

 

[Whirlysplat]

http://ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?&aid=61474



The last note is interesting, since the exoskeleton moves before your body does, will that give you "super speed" ?

Perhaps eventually, at the moment mobility will be greatly restricted.

- Whirly

 

[kainedamo]

Who cares about restricted mobility, being able to lift ten times as much would kick ass.

Looks like we're a step closer to seeing real life superheroes.

 

[Rambo, John J]

Powerloaders from Aliens, Iron Man suit, possibilities are endless!

 

[enterthemadness]

Who cares about restricted mobility, being able to lift ten times as much would kick ass.

Looks like we're a step closer to seeing real life superheroes.

or supervillians. Don't forget about them, now.

 

[Ronny Shade]

or supervillians. Don't forget about them, now.

Did I miss something? Is this site called supervillainhype.com now?

 

[kainedamo]

Did anyone watch the clip?

The guy doesn't really do anything that impressive. He just holds some big bags and holds a massive bottle of water with one arm.

But the way the scientist guy talks, there are so many possibilities. People that previously couldn't walk, can walk with this suit.

 

[enterthemadness]

Did I miss something? Is this site called supervillainhype.com now?

No, but with a suit like that, you know their wouldn't be just superhero's. That's insane. People would use the suit for evil. It's not like you get paid to be a superhero. Gotta pay rent somehow.

 

[Whirlysplat]

These are nothing new really for real mobility haptic interfaces are needed.

Darpa have been working on these recently.

http://www.darpa.mil/dso/thrust/matdev/ehpa.htm

Morphing Man and Machine
What the exoskeleton program at DARPA plans to do is turn ordinary soldiers into super-troops who can leap tall objects and run at high speeds. This program is still in the early stages, so details of these wearable machines are still very vague. However, DARPA has set some expectations for these exoskeletal machines. Here's what researchers expect exoskeletons to do for soldiers:
Increase strength - Soldiers will be able to carry more weapons and supplies. By increasing strength, soldiers will also be able to remove large obstacles from their path while marching. It will also enable them to wear heavier body armor and other ballistic protection. In the 1960s, General Electric and the U.S. military co-developed an exoskeleton, named Hardiman, that made lifting 250 pounds feel like lifting 10 pounds.
Increase speed - An average human walks 4 to 6 mph, but soldiers are often expected to carry up to 150 pounds of supplies in their backpacks. Even the best-conditioned troops cannot go very fast carrying that much weight on their backs. It's not certain how fast DARPA's exoskeleton will be able to move. An independently developed body amplifier, the SpringWalker, has been tested at speeds faster than 10 mph (16 km/h).
Leap great heights and distances - It's unclear just how far or high soldiers will be able to jump wearing mechanical suits, but officials would like the machine to give soldiers the ability to leap over obstacles that would ordinarily slow troops down.
Overall, soldiers will benefit from increased endurance when marching long distances over unpredictable terrain. With increased strength, they will also be able to repair heavy equipment that would otherwise be impossible to repair. Experts expect fewer casualties because of increased body armor.

Another very un Ironman example.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=exoskeleton.htm&url=http://www.springwalker.com/

haptic interfaces will give tactile control.

- Whirly

 

[Future Prez]

Give them a glider, and we have ourselves a Goblin! But seriously, this could have significant impacts on society, especially the physically handicapped,who will soon be able to move freely.

 

[lazur]

Anyone else notice the name on the side of the exoskeleton? Cyberdyne.

 

[RogueLDN]

I agree its a great step forward

 

[Tokage]

 

[Whirlysplat]

Anyone else notice the name on the side of the exoskeleton? Cyberdyne.

And it's called HAL

however it's in New Scientist

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18624945.800

This article explains it is really an aid for the handicapped.

Each suit only costs $10,000 it's hardly the same as the DARPA project.

- Whirly