Post by LWPD on Aug 26, 2011 18:02:59 GMT -5
A new battery powered exoskeleton called the HULC (Human Universal Load Carrier) could provide future soldiers with 4 to 5 hours of 'super strength'...and possibly help change the lives of those who face physical handicaps!
Courtesy of Humans Invent
Robots you can wear: Fashion cybernetics
By Stephen Ebert
Man has developed an obsession with robots. Written about in Homer’s Iliad and even designed by Leonardo Da Vinci, the idea of building machines to take on our mundane every-day chores has dogged inventors for centuries. Androids such as Asimo and Topio are marking mankind’s first successes in creating intelligent robotic companions. We may not be alone much longer.
But far from being the stuff of Steven Spielberg’s pipedreams, scientists are now using cybernetic technology to improve the quality of human life, even helping the paralysed to walk, as well as paving the way for a new fusion of fashion and engineering.
While a world where cyborgs and humans mutually exist side-by-side is the talk of pure fantasy, the lines between them are beginning to blur thanks to the latest robotic innovations giving human arms and legs robotic-like capability and strength.
The new age of cybernetic fashion
HAL-5 is a robot suit developed by Tokyo-based company Cyberdyne, that toughens and augments human capabilities. It detects signals via the surface of the skin to understand, and work with natural human movement. Electrical motors act as artificial muscles to provide assistance to the wearer’s limbs.
How robot suits help the disabled
Robot suits, or exoskeletons are more than science fiction fantasies come true. They currently perform a very valuable function in helping paraplegics to walk. Berekely Bionics eLegs exoskeleton system is one of these devices.
Stephanie Sablan was left paralysed in a car accident. Using an eLegs exoskeleton she is able to walk using it as part of an extensive rehabilitation. While unable to walk unassisted, eLegs is encouraging Sablan to at least act on some of the physical movements associated with walking, building strength in the process.
“It’s [eLegs] taking the steps for me, but I have to balance, I have to shift my weight, I have to make sure i’m in the right place before I take my next step,” Sablan says in this clip. Even during the early stages, eLegs has helped considerably. “I know mentally and emotionally, it has,” she says. “You can only benefit from this program.”
“She’s a very positive person that’s not let her disability overcome her willingness to continue to achieve and move on,” Dr. Akshat Shah says of her progress.
Currently ten such rehabilitation facilities in the US are testing eLegs in 2011, until the system is released for all in 2012 so that even more can benefit.
A commercial version of HAL is already provided for welfare use, but it is hoped that HAL-5 can also be used during daily routines. A full body suit will let factory staff lift heavier items with less strain, prolonging their working lifespan by preventing injury.
The health benefits could also see HAL provide a breakthrough for arthritis sufferers. With 10 million serious sufferers in the United Kingdom HAL could provide life changing benefits for a large proportion of the population.
Such systems could also be used by the elderly, who want to continue living independently, helping them to walk up flights of stairs with minimal effort. However, with prices sitting at the £12,000 mark, it could be a while before the engineering is put into practice.
Time to lighten that load
Cyberdyne isn’t the only company in the race to make its robo-wear a part of everyday life. Carmaker Honda, who created robot Asimo, have created a Walking Assist Device designed to lighten the burden of workers stuck on their feet for long periods and for those with weakened leg muscles that are still able to walk. It works by redistributing bodyweight along its frame, and is able to respond to a person’s movements.
Similar technology could also end up within the military. A battery powered exoskeleton dubbed the Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC) will, should it be granted approval, give soldiers and US Marines extra strength on the battlefield.
The amount of equipment a soldier is required to carry can be excruciating depending on conditions. The HULC exoskeleton lets soldiers carry up to 200 pounds of weight for for up to 20 kilometers on a single battery charge across all terrains, reducing the risk of injury and fatigue in the process.
“It will enable soldiers to do things they cannot do today, while helping to protect them from musculoskeletal injuries.” Jim Ni, HULC program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control says.
The HULC will even let soldiers run up to 10mph for short periods, using a “burst mode” to further the speed soldiers will be able to move across the battlefield.
HULC is of course unlikely to make it into the hands of civilians, however, devices such as HAL, and Honda’s Walking Assist Device reveal previously unimaginable possibilities for enhancing the lives of millions.
While it may be a while yet before the public get suited up with a HAL set of bionic legs, there is hope that such technology may one day be within reach of those who need it most. As we’ve seen, the fruits of innovation should never be underestimated. It has the potential to change lives, forever.
Courtesy of Humans Invent
Robots you can wear: Fashion cybernetics
By Stephen Ebert
Man has developed an obsession with robots. Written about in Homer’s Iliad and even designed by Leonardo Da Vinci, the idea of building machines to take on our mundane every-day chores has dogged inventors for centuries. Androids such as Asimo and Topio are marking mankind’s first successes in creating intelligent robotic companions. We may not be alone much longer.
But far from being the stuff of Steven Spielberg’s pipedreams, scientists are now using cybernetic technology to improve the quality of human life, even helping the paralysed to walk, as well as paving the way for a new fusion of fashion and engineering.
While a world where cyborgs and humans mutually exist side-by-side is the talk of pure fantasy, the lines between them are beginning to blur thanks to the latest robotic innovations giving human arms and legs robotic-like capability and strength.
The new age of cybernetic fashion
HAL-5 is a robot suit developed by Tokyo-based company Cyberdyne, that toughens and augments human capabilities. It detects signals via the surface of the skin to understand, and work with natural human movement. Electrical motors act as artificial muscles to provide assistance to the wearer’s limbs.
How robot suits help the disabled
Robot suits, or exoskeletons are more than science fiction fantasies come true. They currently perform a very valuable function in helping paraplegics to walk. Berekely Bionics eLegs exoskeleton system is one of these devices.
Stephanie Sablan was left paralysed in a car accident. Using an eLegs exoskeleton she is able to walk using it as part of an extensive rehabilitation. While unable to walk unassisted, eLegs is encouraging Sablan to at least act on some of the physical movements associated with walking, building strength in the process.
“It’s [eLegs] taking the steps for me, but I have to balance, I have to shift my weight, I have to make sure i’m in the right place before I take my next step,” Sablan says in this clip. Even during the early stages, eLegs has helped considerably. “I know mentally and emotionally, it has,” she says. “You can only benefit from this program.”
“She’s a very positive person that’s not let her disability overcome her willingness to continue to achieve and move on,” Dr. Akshat Shah says of her progress.
Currently ten such rehabilitation facilities in the US are testing eLegs in 2011, until the system is released for all in 2012 so that even more can benefit.
A commercial version of HAL is already provided for welfare use, but it is hoped that HAL-5 can also be used during daily routines. A full body suit will let factory staff lift heavier items with less strain, prolonging their working lifespan by preventing injury.
The health benefits could also see HAL provide a breakthrough for arthritis sufferers. With 10 million serious sufferers in the United Kingdom HAL could provide life changing benefits for a large proportion of the population.
Such systems could also be used by the elderly, who want to continue living independently, helping them to walk up flights of stairs with minimal effort. However, with prices sitting at the £12,000 mark, it could be a while before the engineering is put into practice.
Time to lighten that load
Cyberdyne isn’t the only company in the race to make its robo-wear a part of everyday life. Carmaker Honda, who created robot Asimo, have created a Walking Assist Device designed to lighten the burden of workers stuck on their feet for long periods and for those with weakened leg muscles that are still able to walk. It works by redistributing bodyweight along its frame, and is able to respond to a person’s movements.
Similar technology could also end up within the military. A battery powered exoskeleton dubbed the Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC) will, should it be granted approval, give soldiers and US Marines extra strength on the battlefield.
The amount of equipment a soldier is required to carry can be excruciating depending on conditions. The HULC exoskeleton lets soldiers carry up to 200 pounds of weight for for up to 20 kilometers on a single battery charge across all terrains, reducing the risk of injury and fatigue in the process.
“It will enable soldiers to do things they cannot do today, while helping to protect them from musculoskeletal injuries.” Jim Ni, HULC program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control says.
The HULC will even let soldiers run up to 10mph for short periods, using a “burst mode” to further the speed soldiers will be able to move across the battlefield.
HULC is of course unlikely to make it into the hands of civilians, however, devices such as HAL, and Honda’s Walking Assist Device reveal previously unimaginable possibilities for enhancing the lives of millions.
While it may be a while yet before the public get suited up with a HAL set of bionic legs, there is hope that such technology may one day be within reach of those who need it most. As we’ve seen, the fruits of innovation should never be underestimated. It has the potential to change lives, forever.
