Powered Exoskeletons

Powered Exoskeletons

A powered exoskeleton is basically mobile machinery which incorporates an outside framework which is worn by an individual and mechanized by motor systems or a hydraulic machine which offers a part of the energy to the person for their limb movement. These powered exoskeletons are also known as exoframe, exosuit or powered armor. These devices are designated for the supply of power, energy and endurance to the person wearing it. It offers a good boost to their energy and endurance levels. These were formerly designed for being used for military purposes for helping the soldiers carry heavy loaded goods inside and outside the combat.

In areas of the members of public, a strongly resembling exosuit was used to help save workers from dangerous atmospheres and also for helping out the firefighters. The powered exoskeletons are also used in the field of medicine, as they are an improvised precision while surgeries take place or play the role of assistants to nurses to carry heavier patients. The different work prototypes of powered armor are HULC by Lockheed Martin and XOS by Sarcos, both of these were primarily used for military purposes and were constructed instead of deployed in the field. In the medical field, there are a number of exoskeletons created which include Hal 5 by Cyber dyne Inc.

Why were powered exoskeletons discovered?

One of the main reasons why powered exoskeletons were discovered was to help soldiers carry around heavy loads while climbing stairs or running. The soldiers would not just be able to carry more weight than they usually could but they would ostensibly be capable of carrying heavier weapons and armor. Hydraulic systems are used by most of the powered exoskeleton models which are controlled by a computer on-board.  They could also be mechanized by batteries, combustion engines and fuel cells as well. Medical field was another area that the powered exoskeletons were used especially nursing. In the future, it was faced by shortage of medicos and increase in the number of elderly care people. Many Japanese engineers have developed exoskeletons mainly for the purpose of assistance of nurses to carry the patients who are on the heavier side.

Spinal cord injuries or rehabilitation of strokes can also make use of powered exoskeletons which are known as the step rehabilitation robots. Basically, a powered exoskeleton will decrease the amount of therapists that are usually needed by letting the most impaired of patients to be trained under one therapist only, so there is no requirement of the other therapists whatsoever.  The training is much uniform, convenient and simpler and specially tailored for every patient. 

During such times, there are a number of project design training kits for the rehabilitation centers. The powered exoskeletons can also be known as wearable robots, which are basically a robot that has been designed according to the functioning and shape of the human body, with joints and segments analogous to those of the individual that it has been teamed up with externally. Power amplification and teleoperation are supposedly the first of applications but with the recent advancement in the amplification field it is said to have grown and widened. These exoskeletons are continuing to gain recognition in the scientific community which is employed in man-amplification, telemanipulation, neuromotor control research and rehabilitant for assistance with the human motor controls. The exoskeletons differ in sizes as well, as people tend to have different bodies and bone structures and not all exoskeletons would fit them.

Human beings show a large variety of physical size differences and bone lengths. Adult size exoskeletons are used for military purposes almost all the time because one size exoskeletons may not fit each and every individual. The civilians may use extend all across human size variety that includes small children and disabled babies as well. 

Sometimes, the users will be required to be a specific size in order to fit into the exoskeleton, body restrictions do occur sometimes especially in military jobs because of the problems in fitting for very small people and very large people as well. Adjustable limbs and joints can also be created which allows flexibility to the users who are wearing the exoskeletons. Because of a larger variety of bone lengths it is important to have different exoskeleton models that cover different ranges in size, one of the models would be for people who are about 5 feet and 7 inches tall. These powered exoskeletons have also been showcased in a number of fiction series since 1937. Lensman by E.E Smith is one of the first fiction series that it has been issued in. Following that, these exosuits were seen in comic books, games, role-playing games, video games, movies and science fiction. Robert A. Heinlein’s novel Starship Troopers was the first novel that has been seen as the over-all concept of military i.e. powered armor or exoskeleton.