Exoskeleton (machine)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An exoskeleton (also exoskeleton , of ancient Greek exo , outside 'and skeletós , dried-up body', 'mummy') is an outer support structure for an organism .

In some animal species a natural exoskeleton is found as part of the body.

Artificial, machine exoskeletons, on the other hand, are mechanical structures worn by the human body that are relatively easy to remove. They are therefore also known as robot suits . Orthoses have long been in use in medicine . In this area, exoskeletons represent a further development of conventional orthoses.

Exoskeletons take the form of robots or machines that can be worn on the body , which support or amplify the movements of the wearer, for example by driving the joints of the exoskeleton by servo motors.

Powered exoskeletons

Hardiman with operator (sketch)

Exoskeletons with propulsion are currently u. a. Developed in the USA, South Korea, Japan and Germany. Since the beginning of the millennium, usable models have first been developed by military-related institutions, but no reports have yet been made about deployments. The use of exoskeletons outside of the military is only in its infancy at the end of the 2010s, but there are tests and trials of a large number of models.

Probably the first attempt at building a modern exoskeleton was the Hardiman , an unsuccessful experimental prototype made by General Electric in 1965.

Medical applications

Rehabilitation robots are primarily concerned with the development of exoskeletons for therapeutic purposes . Rehabilitation robotics is an interdisciplinary research area that combines the fields of electrical engineering , mechanical engineering , computer science , biomedical engineering , neurosciences and rehabilitation sciences . Research topics include a .:

  • Kinematics development
  • Robot control & regulation
  • Haptic systems
  • Multi-body dynamics
  • Biomechanics
  • User interface design
  • Biofeedback
  • Motion analysis
  • Clinical studies (in cooperation with clinical partners)

Robot-assisted devices are mainly used for therapeutic purposes. As the first research institute worldwide it has z. For example, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology has managed to develop a running simulator called HapticWalker, which is supposed to make it easier for stroke patients to learn to walk again. The apparatus allows any gait movements such as walking on the level or climbing stairs with complete guidance of the foot. The high dynamic of the drives used also enables gait disturbances such as uneven ground, tripping or slipping to be simulated for the first time.

Modern medical exoskeleton Hybrid Assistive Limb ( HAL ) (prototype, 2005)

Clinical studies on rehabilitation using exoskeletons for paralysis have also been carried out with the Ekso GT from Ekso Bionics . (a further development of Berkeley Robotics eLEGS ), with Argos ReWalk and with Cyberdynes HAL . Thereby improvements in the control of partially paralyzed legs were found after therapy with HAL . The American company They shall walk of founder Monty K. Reed in Seattle developed the Lifesuit for people paralyzed in movement.

In 2015, Hyundai presented the Hyundai LifecaringExo Skeleton (H-LEX), a research prototype in the form of a walking assistance exoskeleton that is said to help with walking, increase leg strength or protect against falls. At CES 2017, Hyundai presented two exoskeletons for therapeutic purposes: the Hyundai Universal Medical Assist (HUMA) for people with weak muscles, and the Hyundai Medical Exoskeleton (H-MEX) for people with paraplegia .

Industrial applications

Ergoskeletons were developed for predominantly physical workers . They serve (still) healthy workers for lifting heavy loads. For this purpose, u. a. the exoskeleton Powerloader from Panasonic or the Body Extender from Pecro and variants from HAL (manufacturer: Cyberdyne ). Hyundai presented its work on a heavy exoskeleton for industry in 2016, and Hyundai’s H-WEX , which was presented in 2017, is intended to be used to assist in lifting heavy loads. Support to avoid stress injuries while increasing performance at the same time is the selling point in the field of light industrial exoskeletons: When lifting and handling tools, Bionic Systems Cray is supposed to reduce the compression pressure in the lower back area. At CES 2017, Hyundai introduced an exoskeleton for workers: the Hyundai Waist Exoskeleton (H-WEX) .

The use of exoskeletons in workplaces has only recently taken place. Tests of prototypes in an industrial context were carried out years ago, since the use of exoskeletons in the working world is of interest to many companies and insured persons due to their effectiveness, their prevention potential and the avoidance of risks. German Bionic Systems, headquartered in Augsburg, is the first company in Germany to mass-produce active exoskeletons to support employees.

Applications by athletes

In 2018, Roam Robotics unveiled an exoskeleton designed to improve the performance of skiers . The product is strapped around the knees and provided with a combination of sensors, software and inflatable pillows. This should make longer and more demanding skiing possible.

Military applications

DARPA exoskeleton (prototype, 2007)

Lifting heavy loads using an exoskeleton is not only interesting for industrial applications, but also for the military. In 2016, for example, Hyundai presented an exoskeleton for lifting heavy loads with reference to possible industrial as well as military uses. In the purely military area, development has so far focused on lifting and transporting heavy loads.

HULC

As part of the Future Soldier Program , DARPA Berkeley Robotics financed the development of the Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton  ( BLEEX ), from which the Human Universal Load Carrier  ( HULC ) emerged via the intermediate steps ExoHiker and ExoClimber , which was licensed by Lockheed Martin in 2009 . HULC transfers the weight of a heavy rucksack into the ground via an exo-leg skeleton, so that the wearer should be able to transport loads of up to 90 kg injury-free even in difficult terrain, which should enable soldiers with HULC to carry through with a lot of equipment and without great fatigue to go into action. In 2012, Hulc was to be used for the first time in Afghanistan . The introduction to the armed forces has been postponed again and again.

XOS

Raytheon develops XOS based on the wearable Energetically Autonomous Robot ( WEAR ) from Sarcos Research, which Raytheon acquired in 2007. XOS 2 should enable the wearer to lift 90 kg without effort and risk of injury, and should enable a soldier with XOS 2 to carry out logistical work alone, for which up to 3 soldiers would otherwise be required.

Multi-function apparatus

On the one hand, SRI Internationals Superflex is equipped with sensors that enable the wearer to (re) learn movements and only become active when necessary. The Superflex suit should not only give older people back freedom of movement, but also increase the effectiveness and safety of workers and soldiers.

Non-powered exoskeletons

Research is also being carried out on non-powered exoskeletons, for example Lockheed Martin's FORTIS is designed to prevent stress injuries when working with heavy tools by transferring their weight into the ground via an exoskeleton when the wearer is standing or kneeling; the tool itself is held by a ZeroG4 arm from Equipois, with which FORTIS is equipped - based on principles similar to the Steadicam by the same inventor . With the x-AR , Equipois has also developed a non-powered exoskeleton to support an arm. The actually hydraulically driven HULC , from which FORTIS emerged , is supposed to derive weight according to principles similar to FORTIS when the battery level is low .

In Germany, companies with a focus on orthopedic technology are working on the further development of orthoses. At the suggestion of the VW Group , Otto Bock (head office: Duderstadt ) has been developing the passive exoskeleton Paexo for overhead work that frequently occurs at VW since 2012. The Otto Bock company hopes that the strapped struts and rope pull technology will soon also be in demand by craftsmen and DIY enthusiasts. The aim of the products developed by orthopedic technicians is to ensure that, with increasing life expectancy and an aging workforce, employees stay healthy with innovative aids and ergonomic workplaces .

Fictional exoskeletons

Fictional exoskeletons can be found several times in entertainment media such as comics , manga / anime , science fiction films and video games such as Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare . They support the protagonists both with normal work tasks such as a futuristic forklift in Aliens - The Return as well as in armed form during the fight, e.g. B. in the film adaptations to Elysium , Iron Man ( Powered Exoskeleton ), Matrix ( Armored Personnel Unit or APU) or Avatar - Departure to Pandora ( Amplified Mobility Platform , or AMP Suit ). They were previously mentioned in the Lensmen series of novels and several years later in the novel Starship Troopers .

chances and risks

Exoskeletons are of great use for people with limited mobility of body parts. The devices could, however, demand movement sequences from the people concerned, which overstrain them or which they do not want to carry out for other reasons (problem of people being determined by others in human-machine systems). A big problem is the question of whether high-tech aids for disabled people can be financed for all or by all those affected. In Germany, the umbrella association of statutory health insurance included “robot suits” (which can cost up to € 100,000 in individual cases) in the list of medical aids in accordance with Section 139 of the Book V of the Social Code .

The industrial trade association for trade and goods logistics in Germany rates the use of exoskeletons by employees in their industry as "an exciting innovation that still needs development work". This is because exoskeletons relieve the musculoskeletal system of their wearers by supporting them. Since musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common causes of inability to work in the industry, exoskeletons could help reduce sickness-related downtime and help employees work healthily longer. Exoskeletons would come into question in the field of trade and goods logistics where other technical aids such as forklifts or cranes could not be used. Employees in automobile dismantling, furniture delivery or working on the construction site could also benefit. However, the trade association warns that exoskeletons could also be used to increase the load weights. That would not be in the interests of the employees. You would then continue to work at the limit. Another danger is that the users trip or fall with the exoskeleton and that there is then a great risk that injuries will be more serious due to the additional mass.

In general, in many cases, the opportunities to increase performance increase performance standards, especially with regard to the expected individual productivity of workers. In the world of work, performance-enhanced human-machine systems can, due to the productivity boost, together with other forms of digitization, cause a sharp drop in the demand for labor. On the other hand, new assistive technologies offer new opportunities to those people who are increasingly threatened with unemployment due to the development described above because of their restricted mobility, sight or hearing.

There are legal risks for companies that let employees work with exoskeletons (in Germany)

  • in the case of incorrect / missing approval of aids
  • in the case of insufficient / missing documentation / instruction / instruction
  • in the event of accidents at work as a result of using the aid (with insurance coverage to be clarified)
  • in the case of direct health impairment through the aid
  • in the event of non-compliance with occupational safety and accident prevention regulations
  • in the event of consequential damage (including late effects) through the use of the aid

In the field of sport, it is important to assess which developments should be banned as “mechanical doping ” in competitions. Could be banned B. for throwing sports "arm extensions" in the form of rackets, such as those used in sports of the type ( table ) tennis , ( ice ) hockey or baseball , in running competitions but also the participation of people with lower leg prostheses , provided that these athletes are regularly faster than people without amputated lower legs. The use of engines in vehicles is usually easy to see; this can usually prevent this use if it is illegal. In this respect, too, cycling is a problem sport , as it has apparently been possible to hide auxiliary motors in bicycles.

The development of detachable exoskeletons runs parallel to the use of parts permanently installed in the human body. The question arises to what extent the effects associated with the cyborg phenomenon can be transferred to human-machine systems of the exoskeleton type. At the Paralympics in London 2012, the paraplegic Briton Claire Lomas completed the marathon route within 17 days with the help of artificial, externally controllable knee joints and the ReWalk exoskeleton .

literature

Web links

Commons : Exoskeleton (machine)  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: Exoskeleton  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ralph Hensel: Chances and Risks for the Use of Exoskeletons in Business Practice - Findings from a Field Study with an Exoskeleton for Back Support. ASU. Medical Prevention Journal, July 31, 2018, accessed December 7, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Telepolis: USA researching Starship Troopers. November 13, 2001, accessed April 22, 2011.
  3. ↑ golem.de: Exoskeleton for soldiers by Iron Man & Co. May 6, 2008, accessed on April 22, 2011.
  4. ↑ Susanne Nördlinger: Strong and healthy - thanks to the exoskeleton. In: Verlag modern industrie GmbH. February 14, 2018, accessed December 5, 2018 .
  5. ↑ UC Berkley News: UC Berkeley researchers developing robotic exoskeleton. March 3, 2004, accessed April 22, 2011.
  6. ^ A b Will Knight: Iron Man Suits for Factory Workers. In: Technology Review . July 22, 2015, accessed July 22, 2015 .
  7. ↑ Rehabilitation robotics mobilizes people after a stroke. Federal Ministry of Education and Research / Science Year 2018 project group, accessed on December 6, 2018 .
  8. ↑ Rehabilitation Robotics - Overview. Technische Universität Berlin - Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management / Industrial Automation Technology, accessed on December 6, 2018 .
  9. ↑ Rehabilitation Robotics Working Group. Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology, accessed on December 6, 2018 .
  10. ↑ "Ekso GT" walking robot - help for stroke rehabilitation. Retrieved November 11, 2014 .
  11. ↑ eLEGS ™. Berkeley Robotics & Human Engineering Laboratory, accessed September 9, 2015 .
  12. ^ The ReWalk Exoskeletal Walking System for Persons With Paraplegia (VA_ReWalk). Retrieved April 2, 2013 .
  13. ↑ Kwon Kyong-Suk: Hospitals to test robot suit to help patients walk. (No longer available online.) In: The Asahi Shimbun AJW. February 9, 2013, archived from the original on February 13, 2013 ; accessed on April 2, 2013 .
  14. ↑ WALK AGAIN Center: List of current studies on medical applications of Hybrid Assistive Limb. Retrieved February 1, 2016 .
  15. ↑ Ben Schwan: Exoskeleton: Learning to walk again. In: Heise Online. August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017 .
  16. ↑ Jungeun Park: Hyundai Introduces Wearable Robot H-LEX For Senior Citizens For The First Time. In: etnews. August 7, 2015, accessed January 5, 2017 .
  17. ↑ a b c C.C. Weiss: Hyundai expands its mobility presence with wearable robots and electric scooter. In: New Atlas. January 5, 2017, accessed January 5, 2017 .
  18. ↑ produktion.de: Strong and healthy - thanks to the exoskeleton
  19. ^ Neil Bowdler: Rise of the human exoskeletons. In: BBC News. March 4, 2014, accessed March 4, 2014 .
  20. ↑ a b Loz Blain: Hyundai beefs up robotic exoskeleton. In: New Atlas. May 16, 2016, accessed January 5, 2017 .
  21. ↑ Hans-Arthur Marsiske: Exoskeleton for industrial applications presented. In: Heise Online. April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2017 .
  22. ↑ Trade and logistics department of the DGUV - subject area physical loads - c / o trade association for trade and goods logistics: Department information: Use of exoskeletons in commercial workplaces. Retrieved July 3, 2018 .
  23. ↑ Susanne Nördlinger: Strong and healthy - thanks to the exoskeleton. In: Verlag modern industrie GmbH. February 14, 2018, accessed December 6, 2018 .
  24. ↑ Rachel Metz: Five Ways to Become a Cyborg. In: Technology Review. July 17, 2018, accessed December 8, 2018 .
  25. ↑ BLEEX. Berkeley Robotics & Human Engineering Laboratory, accessed September 9, 2015 .
  26. ↑ ExoHiker ™. Berkeley Robotics & Human Engineering Laboratory, accessed September 9, 2015 .
  27. ↑ ExoClimber ™. Berkeley Robotics & Human Engineering Laboratory, accessed September 9, 2015 .
  28. ^ HULC ™. Berkeley Robotics & Human Engineering Laboratory, accessed September 9, 2015 .
  29. ↑ a b HULC. Lockheed Martin, archived from the original on September 5, 2015 ; accessed on September 9, 2015 .
  30. ↑ Ralf Balke: Greetings from the cyborg - How exoskeletons help people get back on their feet. September 27, 2016, accessed December 8, 2018 .
  31. ↑ Raytheon XOS 2 Exoskeleton, Second-Generation Robotics Suit, United States of America. Army Technology, accessed September 9, 2015 .
  32. ↑ Signe Brewster: Power suit instead of walking stick. In: Technology Review. June 9, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016 .
  33. ↑ a b c Jason Mick: From HULC to FORTIS: the Evolution of Lockheed Martin's Incredible Exosuit. Daily Tech, Aug 22, 2014; Archived from the original on Jan 6, 2017 ; accessed on January 5, 2017 .
  34. ↑ Fabian Nitschmann: Exoskeletons in the working world - upgraded humans instead of robots. In: newsticker heise.de. December 4, 2018, accessed December 9, 2018 .
  35. ↑ Exoskeletons: Humans prepare for the world of work. In: focus.de. December 5, 2018, accessed December 9, 2018 .
  36. ↑ Despite standing aid and wheelchair: the cash register has to pay for the exoskeleton. In: ÄrzteZeitung. July 27, 2016, accessed December 7, 2018 .
  37. ↑ Robot suits: GKV includes exoskeleton in the list of aids. In: Press Agency Health. February 9, 2018, accessed December 7, 2018 .
  38. ↑ Exoskeletons in the world of work / statutory accident insurance on opportunities and risks. In: finanzen.net. April 25, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2018 .
  39. ↑ Dietrich Engels: Chances and Risks of the Digitization of the Working World for the Employment of People with Disabilities. April 16, 2018, accessed December 7, 2018 .
  40. ↑ Manfred Knye / Anne-Lisa Otto: Opportunities and risks from an operational point of view. In: Use of exoskeletons in commercial workplaces (II). January 18, 2018, accessed December 7, 2018 .
  41. ↑ Adrian Lobe: Mechanical doping: Is cycling threatened with the next fraud scandal? April 1, 2015, accessed December 8, 2018 .
  42. ↑ Ralf Balke: Greetings from the cyborg - How exoskeletons help people get back on their feet. September 27, 2016, accessed December 7, 2018 .