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Whether your days are spent lifting objects from awkward heights, climbing up difficult terrain, or helping patients move between beds and wheelchairs, Panasonic thinks it has a device that can help you.
The Japanese company has created three robotic exoskeletons each with a different speciality.
For factory workers, the purple and green AWN-03 suit reduces the load on the lower back by up to 15kg by sensing when the wearer is lifting or holding a heavy object, and signalling its motors to operate. The upper body is then raised while the thighs are pushed against, providing support.
The ActiveLink branch of Panasonic is developing the suits, including one for hiking and running, the PLN-01, also called the Ninja.
The device has two sensors at the feet and two motors on the lower back, which mimic human movement. An upper-body companion for the Ninja is under development to help with heavy lifting, which makes us think that ActiveLink really does believe what it says on its website: “Using Robotic Technology equipment, anybody can become a superman.”
The ultimate exoskeleton though is the Power Loader – a suit that consists of 20 motors and four sensors, and is planned for use in disaster relief and construction.
And, for the elderly, it has also created a bed that turns into a wheelchair, designed to reduce the workload for carers who previously had to move residents from one to the other.
