Wearable Robots (Exoskeletons)A.Srinivas,K.Thrinadh Chowdary,3rd year, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Tirumala Engineering college,Narasaropet,Guntur 522601.

Abstract History

Conclusion

Robotic exoskeletons that assist human locomotion are currently comprised of multiple actuators and motors driving link systems. Current designs, such as BLEEX and HAL, are active systems requiring multiple sensors coupled with a computer system that signals the actuators and motors. This project proposes a passive, compliant elastic exoskeleton to be worn in parallel with the entire lower limb. The goal of this project is to design, prototype and test a lower-body elastic exoskeleton that reduces the metabolic cost of human locomotion through a low weight, low-profile compliant mechanism.

What are Wearable Robots? Exoskeletons in development

Wearable robots are people-oriented robots designed to be worn. These robots are designed around the function and shape of the human body and the human will be able to control the robotic limbs. This control can assist in walking, running, jumping higher or even lifting objects one would not normally be able to lift. Those examples are only some of the most basic ways that engineers hope these robots will be used for. They hope they can use these robots to assist in medical care as well as in the military. These exoskeletons could help to protect soldiers, lighten the weight they must carry while also allowing them to move quicker.

The first attempt to create a powered exoskeleton came in the 1960’s. General Electric was the first mover into this field of exoskeletons. The Hardiman was created by General Electric with the intention of being used for bomb loading on aircraft carriers and underwater as well as space construction. Unfortunately for General Electric, by 1970 only one arm had been created. This arm could lift 750 pounds, but itself weighed almost three quarters of a ton. Each attempt they made to create a leg that could easily be lifted failed and The Hardiman was soon dismissed from the developmental world.

DARPA, the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is funding a $50 million project known as “Exoskeletons for Human Performance Augmentation”. The DARPA program hopes to allow soldiers to carry larger weapons, protect against enemy fire or chemical attack, provide stamina and allow for more food, water, ammunition and field supplies to be brought along. Sarcos Research Corporation, a Salt Lake City robotics and medical device manufacture, has been funded by DARPA and is creating the Wearable Energetically Autonomous Robots, or WEAR for short.

Disruptive Technology

“Haptic” Technology

Wearable robots are most definitely a disruptive technology. If and when these exoskeletons are put into use in the medical and/or military fields, we will see life-altering changes to everyone involved. They are improving upon the field of prosthetics. If a person is in an accident and loses an arm or a leg, they could get a prosthetic arm or leg. The exoskeleton may one day be able to replace this prosthetic arm by connecting a robotic arm which would connect to the neurons in your brain which would then allow you to control the arm as if it were your own. .

•“Haptic” technology provides an interface with the user through the sense of touch, and using the exoskeleton as a haptic device has many applications in scientific visualization and manipulation, gaming, and simulation. •Haptic feedback is also needed in surgical robotics to give the surgeon a sense of touch as he operates the robot from a separate console that may be located in a remote site. •This advancement would help in making an envisioned fully autonomous operating room become reality. The goal is to one day allow a surgeon to control an exoskeleton from outside the operating room.•They believe the exoskeleton would be able to see things that the surgeon may not be able to see from his vantage point if he were to be doing the surgery alone.

DARPA

•The Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton, or BLEEX, was being created to allow “an exoskeleton that combines a human control system with robotic muscle”, according to the Director of UC Berkeley’s Robotics and Human Engineering Laboratory, Homayoon Kazerooni. •In 2004, BLEEX was the most advanced exoskeleton, but since then has been overtaken by competitors. •The Land walker Exoskeleton was created by Japanese Robotics Manufacturer Sakakibara-Kikai. •It stands at 3.4 meters tall and weighs an astonishing 1000 kilograms. •With guns held at each size, this mammoth of a robot would be intimidating to any soldier on the battlefield.•The HAL5, short for hybrid assistive limb, is used for civilian life and is meant to help people who have trouble walking or lifting objects. •It is the first ballistic proof exoskeleton. •The Trojan has an intake fan and an exhaust fan in the helmet to keep the soldier from becoming overheated. •It also has a centered laser pointer that can be used when a soldier spots a sniper. He can call back and tell his men to “follow the dot and fire” which would easily allow for the sniper to be taken out. •Troy used high impact plastic to create this 40 pound protective exoskeleton which he hopes to one day get a government contract for and get these out to the American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

•With 25% of Japan being over the age of 65 by 2015, this technology is likely to be seen in the streets of Japan in less than a decade. •The HAL5 mimics every move of its user while weighing so little it is unnoticeable.

We have argued that human beings are steadily using and advancing tools. Exoskeletons and especially humanoid robotic technology in ill defined construction and built service environment as a whole or its subsystems/elements can be seen as a highly advanced tool or cooperating set of tools. Exoskeletons and humanoid robotic technology not only allows augmenting human abilities but creates tools that are capable of autonomous decision making and performance in order to achieve certain goals as agent of a human being especially in dangerous, dirty and tedious construction activities.Ultimately those exoskeletons and humanoid robotic technologies even will open up completely new possibilities for mankind in extreme and highly unstructured environments such as deep sea under water mining/habitat and construction and mining in space.