cageymaru
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2003
- Messages
- 22,092
According to the Wall Street Journal, companies are outfitting its factory workers with exoskeletons to lower the amount of injuries caused by extended overhead reaching. Manufacturing jobs such as overhead welding are perfect candidates for exoskeleton use as weight from the arms is transferred to the hips. The effect makes the upper body feel as if it is suspended in water.
Currently the devices are passive' meaning they don't use external power. "'It's not designed to give you superhuman strength; it's designed to give you superhuman endurance,' said Zach Haas, a senior product manager at Richmond, Calif.-based Ekso Bionics , which began selling its EksoVest upper-body model in January 2018." Work-related musculoskeletal disorders cost employers up to $54 billion annually. The devices cost $4,000 - $6,000 each and battery powered "Iron Man" style suits are in development with plans to ship those in 2020.
"Exoskeletons are coming," said Frank Pochiro, a senior manufacturing engineer at BMW who is overseeing the exoskeleton rollout. "There's going to be much more widespread use in all auto manufacturing, but also in light manufacturing, construction, any industry you can think of where you're bringing your arms up over your head." Servers at last year's Oktoberfest in Munich donned Ottobock exoskeletons to carry trays of beer steins.
Currently the devices are passive' meaning they don't use external power. "'It's not designed to give you superhuman strength; it's designed to give you superhuman endurance,' said Zach Haas, a senior product manager at Richmond, Calif.-based Ekso Bionics , which began selling its EksoVest upper-body model in January 2018." Work-related musculoskeletal disorders cost employers up to $54 billion annually. The devices cost $4,000 - $6,000 each and battery powered "Iron Man" style suits are in development with plans to ship those in 2020.
"Exoskeletons are coming," said Frank Pochiro, a senior manufacturing engineer at BMW who is overseeing the exoskeleton rollout. "There's going to be much more widespread use in all auto manufacturing, but also in light manufacturing, construction, any industry you can think of where you're bringing your arms up over your head." Servers at last year's Oktoberfest in Munich donned Ottobock exoskeletons to carry trays of beer steins.