Exoskeleton Systems For Military and Civil Uses

The Artist said:
However. The use of springs in the Bionic Boots is an improvement in stilt technology as it decreases the length of stilt required to attain the higher speeds. Lower to the ground is safer and, from a military view, presents less of a target.

Although from a military perspective the big advantage is having a soldier deploy further with more gear. I suspect the ultimate outcome of this research will see something that people normally remove prior to going into combat.
 
Avimimus said:
Although from a military perspective the big advantage is having a soldier deploy further with more gear. I suspect the ultimate outcome of this research will see something that people normally remove prior to going into combat.
Exoskeletons come from time when robots moving around autonomously were a pipe dream. But with recent advances in things like self-driving cars, walking robots are far more useful than any exoskeleton.
 
http://insights.globalspec.com/article/1151/exoskeleton-technology-takes-a-step-forward
 
http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/07/exosuit-soft-exoskeleton-update.html
 
http://www.popsci.com/updated-chinese-exoskeletons-could-one-day-go-combat
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8KSUJ9Xtw9E
http://robotland.blogspot.ie/2015/05/workforce-sit-in.html​
 
http://www.businessinsider.com/military-exoskeletons-2014-8?op=1
 
Chinese lower limb exoskeleton with a bit of robotic hands too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o4cTe2xfxk#t=23
 
http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/10/special-forces-talos-powered-strength.html
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGmymin7d0o&feature=player_embedded

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2016-03/18/panasonic-robot-suit-exoskeleton​
 
The last half of that video reminds me of an old anime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvJHirH8vnE
 
They are further along than I thought.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDsNZJTWw0w
 
l94bpmsmijt7qmsvrr5v.jpg

http://gizmodo.com/hyundais-new-transportation-exoskeleton-is-less-iron-ma-1776673369​
 
http://nextbigfuture.com/2016/05/human-stentrode-trials-in-2017-could.html
 
http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/robomate-exoskeleton-will-make-it-ten.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2Fadvancednano+%28nextbigfuture%29&utm_content=FaceBook
 
Lockheed Martin Eyes Military Exoskeleton Market
(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued April 11, 2017)

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Eyeing a new generation of industrial and military exoskeletons, Lockheed Martin has licensed the bionic augmentation technology Dermoskeleton™ from B-Temia, Inc.

Dermoskeleton is the basis for computer-controlled devices that can increase mobility and load-carrying capacity by counteracting overstress on the lower back and legs. Lockheed Martin's technology license permits use of B-Temia technology to products for military, industrial, commercial and first-responder applications.

"This technology offers a pathway to increased loadbearing and greater agility for our FORTIS industrial exoskeleton," said Glenn Kuller, Advanced and Special Programs vice president at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "It can also help to solve existing limitations of powered exoskeletons for our military and first responders. We're excited about the potential we see here."

"This agreement confirms our company's technology leadership and value of our work in increasing human mobility in both industrial and defense applications," said B-Temia President and CEO Stéphane Bédard. "Our arrangement with Lockheed Martin provides another avenue for our bionic technology to enhance human performance."

The FORTIS exoskeleton is an unpowered, lightweight exoskeleton that increases an operator's strength and endurance by transferring the weight of heavy loads from the operator's body directly to the ground through a series of joints at the hips, knees and ankles. Originating from

Lockheed Martin's exoskeleton research to assist soldiers in carrying heavy equipment over long distances, the same principles were applied to exoskeleton development for use in industrial settings. For additional information, visit our website.


Founded in 2010, B-Temia is a developer and manufacturer of bionic technology in the growing market of human augmentation. Its proprietary Dermoskeleton™ technology provides improved mobility, strength and autonomy to the user, with applications in the medical, industrial and military fields.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

-ends-
 
 
Did searching around in papers and found this interesting hip exoskeleton for the elderly by Samsung
Full paper:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Keehong_Seo/publication/303886315_Fully_autonomous_hip_exoskeleton_saves_metabolic_cost_of_walking/links/59b1f883aca2728472d144e3/Fully-autonomous-hip-exoskeleton-saves-metabolic-cost-of-walking.pdf

Some key features:
Weight 2.8 kg including battery
Reduces metabolic cost of walking by 13% (average of a test on 5 healthy individuals)
Runtime 1.3 hours
Other papers detail walking uphill with similar reduction in metabolic cost and they are working on going up stairs

Now imagine if you souped this up. I haven't seen any other exoskeleton with this kind of metabolic cost reduction.

Edit:better picture
 

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Apparently integration testing of SOCOM's TALOS has been delayed to 2019 because of difficulties with the exoskeleton subsystem. But they are making progress.
http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2018/2/8/interview-with-socoms-new-acquisition-executive-james-smith
TALOS continues to push the boundaries of how much protection you can provide to the individual operator without sacrificing their mobility. As an S&T [science and technology] project, we’ve entered into the exciting stage where each of the individual vendors will begin delivering subsystems this fall and we’ll begin integration into the first functioning prototype. The current development schedule projects demonstrating a functional TALOS MK5 prototype during the summer of 2019. The Exoskeleton subsystem is the critical path for the first article prototype combat operator suit, and it remains the most complex which has resulted in design delays.
 
lastdingo said:
from Eurosatory 2018

IMG_20180615_154755.jpg

The lightning pack guys

http://www.lightningpacks.com/lightningpacks.com/Lightning_Packs,_LLC_%7C_Lightening_your_load,_lighting_your_way.html

found during their military contract research that, for their design at least, active recovery of motion energy to power a small generator/recharger actually added metabolic cost and added some discomfort because of gait manipulation/interference. The human body is heavily optimized for the gait it naturally uses, so messing with it is problematic. They did find that simple gait cancellation at the backpack did seem to work out though, so are now going to crowdfund that for sale.
 
XoSoft showed off their Gamma version after 3 years of work

https://gfycat.com/LittleDesertedFlyinglemur
LittleDesertedFlyinglemur


https://twitter.com/XoSoft_eu
 

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sferrin said:
Kadija_Man said:
Going to need an extra long extension cord...

They'll just put solar cells on the soldier's back pack.

That'll do wonders for their camouflage and of course, work real well at night, right?
 
It's not for the military chaps...it's for when we're 90 years old so we can walk around without shattering our hips.
 
Kadija_Man said:
sferrin said:
Kadija_Man said:
Going to need an extra long extension cord...

They'll just put solar cells on the soldier's back pack.

That'll do wonders for their camouflage and of course, work real well at night, right?

I can't believe you actually thought I was serious. I was mocking those who think solar cells are the answer for everything.
 
I'm pretty surprised they haven't developed better "end effectors" in the intervening years. Probably just down to focusing their limited resources on getting the basic system where they want it, but still would have been nice to see something more advanced than the hooks.
 

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