In a recent turn of events in the tech world South Korean Researchers have developed a light exoskeleton suit that would provide for a profound cause. The Wearable robot has been developed from ground up to help Parapeligic users walk and be able to easily tackle everyday tasks. The exoskeleton would help users walk, maneuver obstacles and climb stares as well.
KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said their goal was to create a robot that seamlessly integrates into the lives of individual with special needs and help them tackle everyday tasks with ease.
Kim Seung Hwan
A member of the KAIST team and a paraplegic spoke about how the prototype helps him walk at a speed of 3.2 kph. Beyond that the robot allows the inflicted to easily climb stairs take sideways steps as well as slide into benches.
Beyond that the Team has been able to give the exsoskeleton with the ability to be mobile and approach the user while they are in a wheelchair to help them be mobile. The Exoskeleton has been constructed in such a manner that it can easily be worn while sitting on the wheel chair.
“It can approach me wherever I am, even when I’m sitting in a wheelchair, and be worn to help me stand up, which is one of its most distinct features,” Kim said- As reported By Reuters
Special Features
Since the exoskeleton has been constructed for use by paraplegic users. Hence it has been built using special elements such as aluminum and Titanium. Due to such features the weight of the suit has been limited to 50 kg even after the skeleton is powered by 12 electronic motors. These motors have been designed in such a manner that they can easily mimic the use of human joints while walking .
Inspiration Taken from Iron Man
Park Jeong-su, another member of the KAIST team, said he was inspired by the movie “Iron Man”. “After watching Iron Man, I thought it would be great if I can help people with a robot in real life.” As Reported by Reuters. The Exoskeleton that has been developed and evolved over years does look like its been picked up directly from a sci fi movie, and the fact that it has been built to help those with special needs further makes it a profound effort towards the support of users with special needs.
Thinking Beyond
Since paraplegics loose sensitivity in the legs the team has used their formidable knowledge and technical know-how to create soles that have sensors and can adapt in Realtime as per the pressure and other 1,000 signals that the body sends in real time while walking. The system has been advanced in such a manner that it can recognize intended movements and adapt itself keeping the person using balanced.
Lenses on the front of the Robot
The Robot also has lenses in the front that allow it to sense the terrain ahead. The Exoskeleton can easily sense the height of the stairs and detect obstacles to compensate for the lack of sensibility of users.
Awards and Accolades
The exoskeleton has already became a subject matter of headlines due to its abilities. Kim Seung-Hwan won a gold medal at the cybathlon 2024 for the suit. The company had showcased robots in eight categories that have been developed for varying disabilities.
