Assistive exoskeletons have proved to be quite useful in many scenarios and situations but the problem with most of these exoskeletons is that though they provide the users with a power boost a part of that power boost has to be utilized to move the extra weight of the heavy batteries and motors which are a part of the exoskeleton. To overcome this problem and to provide the users with a comfortable option, Japanese researchers at Hiroshima University and Daiya Industry Co. have created a minimalist exoskeleton that harnesses the power of the wearer’s own weight instead of heavy batteries and motors. This exoskeleton has been named as Unplugged Powered Suit (UPS).

The UPS consists of a pump located under the sole of the user’s foot, an air hose that runs up from the pump along the length of the leg and a PGM called Pneumatic Gel Muscle. When the wearer takes a step, his/her foot presses own on the pump. This push causes the air to run up the hose to a hip belt where it is relayed into the PGM. A gel is contained within the device. At the level of the hip belt the air relayed into the PGM causes the gel to compress temporarily.

This compression causes the whole thing to contract and relax like a natural muscle. In this exoskeleton, there is a possibility of getting different forms of supports and configurations depending on the position of pump under the foot and the PGM on the leg. One configuration increases the speed at which the user’s legs move while walking. Another configuration claims to decrease the overall effort in maintaining a jogging pace.

Associate Professor Yuichi Kurita explains: “The UPS is designed to support human motion where and when needed. This means that we can customize the UPS to the user’s particular needs such as muscle strength for athletes and rehabilitation. In the future, we can develop smarter assistive suits including wearable actuators and sensors by using our technique.”

The exoskeleton will be on display this month at the International Robot Exhibition 2015 in Japan. Also, because of the absence of heavy batteries and motors, the system will carry extra advantages of being inexpensive and easy to maintain.

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Author: Technology Blog