UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA, USA. A new version of a bionic suit called the “Ekso” has been developed to help disabled people move normally with ease. It somewhat resembles a suit that came from the 1987 movie “RoboCop” because of its unique appearance that will make the user look like a cyborg. It aims to act as a modern physical therapy machine for patients who need to learn to walk normally after an operation or an accident. It has different levels of difficulty to adjust to the patient’s condition.
The bionic suit was originally made to help with military work in 2010. It was meant to help soldiers lift heavy objects effortlessly. The first bionic suit was called “Hulc” which helped them carry up to 200 pounds of equipment. The project was financed by the military. Ekso Bionics teamed up with military contractor Lockheed Martin and the University of California in Berkeley to create the “Hulc”. Right now, more of this kind of suit is being developed to help more people in different situations.
Russ Angold is one of the founders and the chief technology officer of the Ekso which is made by the company Ekso Bionics. As the cost of each suit is decreasing, the battery life is actually improving. That way, making it commercial for public use is becoming more possible. The Ekso bionic suit has a frame made of aluminum and titanium and weighs about 50 pounds. Angold also stated that they aim to make the Ekso affordable enough to be sold in a sporting goods store in the near future. Maybe someday the Ekso can be considered as the jeans of the future.
| Invention | Ekso |
|---|---|
| Organization | University of California, California, USA |
| Researcher | Team from University of California & Lockheed Martin |
| Field(s) | Military, Bionic Suit, Disabled, Physical Therapy |
| Further Information | Smart Planet |
