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Science & Technology

New exosuit can offer superhuman strength

By T.K. Randall
June 7, 2016 · Comment icon 14 comments

A concept image of the suit from the company's official brochure. Image Credit: SRI International
A new robotic suit called Superflex is able to augment the wearer's strength and physical capabilities.
Unlike conventional exoskeletons, this new, more refined and lightweight option fits snug over the wearer's body and carries the majority of the load from the legs, arms and torso.

Designed to restore mobility to the disabled and elderly, the suit can be used to help lift objects as well as to carry out various other physical tasks that the wearer might otherwise struggle with.

It can even help able-bodied individuals lift heavier loads then they would otherwise manage.
The suit also contains sensors which enable it to conserve battery life by adapting to a particular wearer's movements and only offering assistance where it is actually needed.

The current prototype of the device takes around five minutes to put on but there are plans to reduce that to under two minutes by the time the final commercial version is ready.

When it will become available to purchase and how much it will cost however remains unclear.

Source: Yahoo! News | Comments (14)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #5 Posted by BeastieRunner 8 years ago
Where can I test one out!?
Comment icon #6 Posted by freetoroam 8 years ago
Aims to replace walkers for the elderly  Can`t wait to see those currently with zimmer frames, prancing about in one of these suits.
Comment icon #7 Posted by ChrLzs 8 years ago
I cannot read that thread title without the U becoming an H.
Comment icon #8 Posted by Ozfactor 8 years ago
I will take 2
Comment icon #9 Posted by TheGreatBeliever 8 years ago
Don know y but I have fantasies of wearing an exosuit n exploring a thick jungle or sleeping at a cemetery..
Comment icon #10 Posted by Shawnigan 4 years ago
I suffer from Fibromyalgia and feel like this could be a tremendous help to my physical well being. If it�s at all possible to reintroduce this Superflex, Exosuit on social media, such as Facebook, please do. I would greatly appreciate any physical support available to help fight the fatigue and pain I suffer from.
Comment icon #11 Posted by Jon the frog 4 years ago
This kind of suit will be militarized way sooner than civilian use anyway...
Comment icon #12 Posted by moonman 4 years ago
Considering this article is from 2016, I doubt the promises made about this are true. Working exosuits exist, but they don't look like what is pictured here.
Comment icon #13 Posted by simplybill 4 years ago
@Shawnigan Rewalk Robotics produces exo-suits for stroke and paralysis patients. They’re covered by several insurance companies in the USA and Europe, and have FDA and VA approval. Is this what you had in mind? https://rewalk.com/ “ReWalk is a wearable robotic exoskeleton that provides powered hip and knee motion to enable individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) to stand upright, walk, turn, and climb and descend stairs*. ReWalk is the first exoskeleton to receive FDA clearance for personal and rehabilitation use in the United States.”
Comment icon #14 Posted by Tatetopa 4 years ago
I had a good friend who was quadriplegic.  He dove into a stump while swimming in a local lake.   He had a physical therapy session at the local hospital about once a month.  He would be suspended in a flotation collar in a water tank with sensors hooked up to his legs and arms.  With some biofeedback, he was trying to get more mobility out of his limbs.   His dream was a suit that could help him walk again, but they never got far enough before complications of being a quad got him at 45 years old. I hope it works and is available for many people in the near future..


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