FX.co ★ Exoskeletons: The Augmented Future of the Human Body

The mechanical skeleton - the exoskeleton - is given the role of not only supporting the human body, but also to exceede its the physical capabilities. Thanks to this device, a person can make the impossible possible and the difficult easy: to lift heavy weights and transfer them to a certain distance, to jump over the head in the direct meaning of this word. The exoskeleton helps people with disabilities, they are used in medicine, logistics, construction, scientific and industrial work as well as in the space and military sphere.

The first true exoskeleton in the sense of being a mobile machine integrated with human movements was co-developed by General Electric and the United States military in the 1960s. The suit was named Hardiman. Thanks to Hardiman it became possible to lift huge cargo, but, since it weighed 680 kg, this costume had been abandoned. However, the idea was not rejected by writers and filmmakers, having created many films known to the general public: "Aliens", "Iron Man", "Avatar", "District 9", "Elysium", "Edge of Tomorrow " and others. The authors of computer games also have not neglected this idea. Suffice it to recall the backpack frames from "Halo" and the suit of the protagonist from "Crysis". One way or another, the technology of exoskeletons is used in at least two dozen video games.

Referring to medicine, it should be said about Miomir Vukobratovic, who in 60-70-es of the XX century designed a walking frame for patients with paralysis of the lower limbs. His developments are currently being applied in Russia (the ExoAtlet model) and in other countries. For people who have lost mobility, a "smart" prosthesis weighing 23.3 kg and operated by Windows allows a person to sit, stand and walk. The HAL from Japanese manufacturers of exoskeletons deserves separate attention. This model is fully exploited by trial participants from 130 medical institutes. HAL-3 is focused on restoring the mobility of the lower limbs, and HAL-5 assists in the development of arms and torso.

The military application of exoskeletons has become quickly apparent. US corporation Raytheon has developed the XOS 2 for combat soldiers in the field, while Lockheed Martin has the Hulc, a hydraulic exoskeleton that provides soldiers with the ability to carry loads of about 90kg.

Summing up everything, it is necessary to answer the main question: do we need exoskeletons in our future? The answer is yes. Exoskeletons, literally descended from the pages of fantastic novels, have successfully entered our life. However, for the time we just can observe prototypes in action, but they are being widely used and in the coming years will serve for the Armed Forces and medical enterprises. Of course, the price even for the simplest models bites (tens of thousands of dollars, and it is not a joke!), but the beginning has already been made.