History of powered exoskeletons

HISTORY OF POWERED EXOSKELETONS


1966 : "Hardiman"

General Electric designs the Hardiman exoskeleton, but never demonstrates the suit in full action.



1979: The Japanese animated series "Mobile Suit Gundam" launches the fascination of robotic exoskeletons.



1986: The movie "Aliens" depicts Sigourney Weaver fighting aliens using an exoskeleton

1987: Monty Reed, a retired Army Ranger who broke his back, starts work on LifeSuit as a tool for physical therapy. In 2003, Reed wears a version in a 5k foot race.

1990:Power Assist Suit- Japan` s Kanagawa Institute of Technology starts on a "Power Assist Suit" to help nurses carry patients, a common chore with the country`s aging population.



1998: Stelarc- Stelar, an Australian performance artist who uses technology to make statements about society, shows up in Hamburg, Germany,with the human-steered, spider-like, "Walking Machine".



2002: HAL-3
Japanese Company Cyberdyne releases HAL-3, an earlier version of the full body HAL-5, which is on sale to, among other things, help nurses lift patients.




2003:" Matrix Revolutions"
Zion` s army battles the machines in weaponized exo-suits in Matrix-3. Still .." It takes Neo to save the day.."



2004:"Bleex"
Berkeley`s Lower Extremity Exoskeleton consist of two robot legs, which move in harmony with thier pilot`s human legs, and a back-pack like frame to carry weight.



2008: Iron Man
Robert Downey Junior, Tony Stark builds an exoskeleton capable of shooting laser beams and cross-atlantic flight..




2010: Iron Man 2
Iron Man 2 unveils another exoskeleton with enhanced weaponry and raw looks,The War Machine.




Beyond:Raytheon Sarcos XOS
The most advanced real world exoskeleton yet, the XOS grants its wearer extraordinary strength and endurance.

What are Powered Exoskeletons?

By definition, a powered exoskeleton is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.

Doesn`t make much sense to you... does it?

Iron man, Matrix revolutions, G.I. Joe....

Now it seems to ring a bell...

Powered exoskeletons are infact nothing but bodily armour or external shells usually made up of metal that enhance bodily movement and may protect the wearer against injury to some degree..

In a broader sense , they are the one of the most brilliant (and coolest!) technological ideas ever conceived..

Now try to imagine a world where P.Es are extensively utilised.

It is most likely that the first uses that would strike your head would be warfare, playing the role of a cool superhero...blah blah.. P.Es however can indeed change the world by making a BETTER place to live.

Typically, powered exoskeletons are designed to assist and protect the wearer. They may be designed, for example, to assist and protect soldiers and construction workers, or to aid the survival of people in other dangerous environments. A wide medical market exists in the future as prosthetics to provide mobility assistance for aged and infirm people. Other possibilities include rescue work, such as in collapsed buildings, in which the device might allow a rescue worker to lift heavy debris, while simultaneously protecting him from falling rubble.

P.Es might even assist senior citizens and physically challenged individuals, not even to move and run, but also to play their favorite sport...

With the widespread use of P.Es we might even one day come across construction sites where a few armoured construction workers are doing the job of hundreds of workers..

P.Es capable of flight might even become the new mode of aerial transport, though in the beginning they would be used only for emergency air travel,...space and aerial exploration...