Powered exoskeleton
A powered exoskeleton is a mobile machine wearable over all or part of the human body, providing ergonomic structural support, and powered by a system of electric motors, pneumatics, levers, hydraulics or a combination of cybernetic technologies, allowing for sufficient limb movement, and providing increased strength, protection and endurance.
[2]) The exoskeleton is designed to provide better mechanical load tolerance, and its control system aims to sense and synchronize with the user's intended motion and relay the signal to motors which manage the gears.
The exoskeleton also protects the user's shoulder, waist, back and thigh against overload, and stabilizes movements when lifting and holding heavy items.
Powered exoskeletons have not developed in the real world as fast as they have in fiction, but currently, there are products that can help humans reduce their energy consumption by as much as 60 percent while carrying things.
[7] In 1917, United States inventor Leslie C. Kelley developed what he called a pedomotor, which operated on steam power with artificial ligaments acting in parallel to the wearer's movements.
Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 science fiction novel Starship Troopers introduced powered military armor to popular culture, soon followed by Tony Stark's Iron Man suit.
[11] At about the same time, early active exoskeletons and humanoid robots were developed at the Mihajlo Pupin Institute in Yugoslavia by a team led by Prof. Miomir Vukobratović.
[13] In 1972, an active exoskeleton for rehabilitation of paraplegics that was pneumatically powered and electronically programmed was tested at Belgrade Orthopedic Clinic.
[13] In 1985, an engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) proposed an exoskeleton called Pitman, a powered suit of armor for infantrymen.
In 2001, Reed began working full-time on the project, and in 2005 he wore the 12th prototype in the Saint Patrick's Day Dash foot race in Seattle, Washington.
[20] Rigid exoskeletons are those whose structural components attached to the user’s body are made with hard materials such as metals, plastics, fibers, etc.
[24] Internal combustion engine offer high energy output, but problems include exhaust fumes, waste heat and inability to modulate power smoothly,[25] as well as the periodic need to replenish volatile fuels.
[21] Individual variations in the nature, range and force of movements make it difficult for a standardized device to provide the appropriate amount of assistance at the right time.
[40] Humans exhibit a wide range of physical size differences in both skeletal lengths and limb and torso girth, so exoskeletons must either be adaptable or fitted to individual users.
Physical body size restrictions already occur in the military for jobs such as aircraft pilots, due to the problems of fitting seats and controls to very large and very small people.
[2] In medical application, e.g. with complete paraplegia after spinal cord injury, an exoskeleton can be an additional option for the supply of aids if the structural and functional properties of the neuromuscular and skeletal system are too limited to be able to achieve mobilization with an orthosis, which is only capable of helping the recovery of muscle work.
In patients with complete paraplegia (ASIA A), exoskeletons are interesting as an alternative to an orthosis under this criterion for lesion heights above the thoracic vertebra (T12).
[60] For example, Lockheed Martin's ONYX suit aims to support soldiers in performing tasks that are "knee-intensive", such as crossing difficult terrain.
[66] These systems can be divided into two categories:[67] For its application in the broadest sense, industrial exoskeletons must be lightweight, comfortable, safe, and minimally disruptive to the environment.
[68] For some applications, single-joint exoskeletons (i.e. intended to assist only the limb involved in specific tasks) are more appropriate than full-body powered suits.
The Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance has developed a draft risk assessment for exoskeletons and their use.
[72] Powered exoskeletons are featured in science fiction books and media as the standard equipment for space marines, miners, astronauts and colonists.
Other examples include Tony Stark's Iron Man suit, the robot exoskeleton used by Ellen Ripley to fight the Xenomorph queen in Aliens, in Warhammer 40,000 the Space Marines, among other factions, are known to use different kinds of Power Armour,[95] the Power Armor used in the Fallout video game franchise and the Exoskeleton from S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
