Exoskeleton Robotics: The Top 5 Applications
Table of Contents
Exoskeleton robotics is a subcategory of robotics. It is defined as wearable mobile robots attached to the user's body(Exosuit), allowing users to achieve augmented strength or endurance.
These devices may also include symbiotic robots, where the exoskeleton and human become one unit. In this way, the robot performs acts usually precluded by the biomechanical constraints of the human body. The most common application is for medical purposes.
Exoskeletons for medical use assist those with spinal cord injuries or other mobility impairments. Examples include devices such as powered leg braces to augment walking and stair climbing or special suits to help patients with mobility impairments perform physical therapy. Medical exoskeletons can be classified as therapeutic, rehabilitative, or assistive devices.
Exoskeleton robotics is a wearable mobile robot attached to the user's body Tweet
Exoskeletons can be used for many different purposes: for example, they are often used in military applications (e.g., lifting heavy equipment), medical applications (e.g., assisting people with severe mobility issues), and industrial applications (e.g., helping workers carry heavy loads), etc.
The symbiotic robots:
Exoskeletons are becoming increasingly popular as they take on many different shapes and sizes and can be used in many other areas of human life. For example, military forces worldwide are using exoskeletons to improve soldiers' physical strength and endurance.
You've probably heard of "cyborgs," or people who have had technology integrated into their bodies. An exoskeleton is a robotic device that can help people with disabilities perform day-to-day tasks.
In addition, doctors could use them during surgery or physical therapy sessions with patients who have suffered spinal cords or limb injuries. And if you're thinking about building one yourself for fun—or just because it sounds fantastic—this article will tell you everything you need to know!
Exoskeleton integration into Human body:
Exoskeletons may look like something from science fiction movies, but they're here now! Some scientists even think that humans will eventually become cyborgs someday by permanently integrating technology into our bodies through implants or other methods (think Iron Man).
In this way, the robot performs acts generally precluded by the biomechanical constraints of the human body. For example, they can be used to help people with spinal cord injuries or other mobility impairments who would otherwise need constant care from another person.
Exoskeletons can also be used to increase strength and endurance by distributing the force generated by an individual over a larger area; this decreases fatigue and provides more power than could be produced by muscles alone.
However, while exoskeletons offer significant advantages over traditional prosthetics in terms of performance and durability, they usually suffer from high production costs and lack flexibility. The Application of Exoskeletons
Exoskeletons are being developed for a variety of uses.
The most common application is for Medical
Military
Rescue
Industrial
Consumer uses.
1. Exoskeletons for Medical use
Exoskeleton robotics are also used to help people who have lost the use of their legs or who suffer from spinal cord injuries. These exoskeletons can assist with rehabilitation and mobility, as well as strength and endurance.
Powered leg braces to augment walking and stair climbing or special suits to help patients with mobility impairments perform physical therapy are examples of exoskeleton devices designed for medical use. Classification of Medical exoskeletons
Therapeutic
Rehabilitative
Assistive devices
1.1 Therapeutic exoskeletons
Therapeutic exoskeletons are often used to improve the quality of life for patients with mobility impairments. They can also be used to help patients recover from injury or surgery. Therapeutic exoskeletons provide support for joints or muscles and allow users to do things that would otherwise be impossible on their own (e.g., standing up from a chair).
The main goal of this type of device is not to replace a person's legs but to restore their ability for independent locomotion by providing them with assistance at critical moments during their stride cycle (when their feet are off the ground).
1.2 Rehabilitative exoskeletons
Rehabilitative exoskeletons are designed to help people regain their strength, mobility, and endurance after an injury or surgery. These devices typically take the form of braces or gait trainers that provide continuous passive motion (CPM) therapy by moving limbs through their normal range of motion.
1.3 Assistive devices
Assistive devices are designed to help people with disabilities perform daily tasks more independently than they could otherwise manage. They include mobility aids like wheelchairs and ramps, as well as software programs that allow users with limited motor control to communicate with computers via eye tracking or head movement alone (e.g., through eye gaze).
2. Exoskeletons in Emergencies and rescue mission
There are many ways that robotics can be used in emergencies and rescue missions. The most obvious use for a robot is to help with the rescue itself, by carrying supplies, rescuing people from dangerous places, or just providing information about the situation.
The use of exoskeletons has helped with tasks like lifting heavy objects, walking long distances, or even climbing stairs. These robots are designed to assist humans in their daily lives by allowing them to do things that would otherwise be impossible for them.
Exoskeleton robotics for first responders has been around for a long time. It started with the introduction of the Iron Man suit in 2008 which was designed by the United States military.
However, these suits were very heavy and difficult to move around in due to their size and weight which made it difficult for soldiers to maneuver through tight spaces such as buildings or tunnels while wearing them. It also made them extremely hot inside due to all of the extra weight they were carrying while wearing one on top of their body armor gear.
Robots are already in use in many places around the world to help with tasks that would be difficult or impossible for humans to complete on their own. It's obvious that robots can perform these tasks faster and more efficiently than humans, but there are other reasons why we should consider using them as well.
3. Exoskeletons for industrial use
Wearable robots have been used in industrial applications for a long time, and they're only getting better.
One example is the PowerLoader 200X from Sarcos Robotics, which allows a worker wearing it to lift 200 pounds in each arm (400 pounds total) over long periods without fatigue, even when lifting heavy loads overhead or squatting down low.
There are numerous industrial applications of wearable robots, including assisting workers who undertake repetitive tasks such as:
Paint spraying
Welding
Assembly line material handling.
3.1 Exoskeletons for Paint Sprying
Exoskeletons are being used in factories to assist workers with painting. The exoskeleton helps the worker move their arms more efficiently, reducing fatigue and improving productivity..g., firefighters).
3.2 Exoskeletons for Welding
Welding is a physically demanding job that can cause repetitive strain injuries if not done correctly. Exoskeleton technology has been shown to help welders maintain better posture and reduce muscle fatigue, which can lead to fewer injuries and increased productivity.
3.3 Exoskeletons for Assembly line
Assembly line material handling (where the robot can act as an intermediary between the worker and an object that needs to be picked up from one place and set down in another).
4. Exoskeletons for military use
The U.S. Department of Defense has already shown interest in this technology by investing millions of dollars into research on exoskeleton suits that can help soldiers carry heavy loads over long distances without tiring out their bodies as quickly as they would if they had them themselves (these suits would presumably also lessen the physical strain on soldiers' bodies during combat).
The U.S. Army's Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) project aims at creating a suit of armor that provides ballistic protection against bullets.
It includes sensors that allow soldiers wearing them to monitor their health status.
Furthermore, it enables communication through voice commands and gestures; and reduces heat loss during nighttime operations by generating electricity from body heat through embedded thermoelectric devices.
Conclusion
The future of robotics is in exoskeleton robotics. The more research that goes into this field, the more humanity will benefit from these devices. For instance, with further research into the medical benefits of robotic devices, such as their use in helping with physical therapy or injury recovery, patients will be able to get better faster and have a more significant number of treatment options available to them.