I still remember doing a double take upon walking into the local hardware store perhaps a year ago, and seeing that apparently you could now just buy a powered exoskeleton to eg help you paint ceilings: https://www.festoolusa.com/campaigns/microsites/exoactive
Or just the good old quality of life update where they forgot the <= v1.0.5 hardware used inverted sensor output, while >= v1.0.6 was non-inverting. "but we have lots of unit tests!"
I do think exoskeletons are hugely unappreciated and will have an amazing effect on society, due to increased accessibility, endurance, augmentation, while still keeping the human in the driver seat
TFA takes forever to get around to mentioning it, but yes, these things run on batteries and electricity. So battery power density is that high now? And so, there won't be a version that has a generator driven by a go-kart motor?
Industrial and military applications are one thing, but I’ve often wondered if exoskeletons would someday become a viable mechanism for helping older people continue to be able to navigate their environment. Maybe it’s something we’ll see in our lifetimes?
Yes, with the way things are going, that's a prediction that I'm confident will happen. The only question is how long will it take, and what's the rest of everything else going on going to happen.
Ha, to some degree couldn’t we all? But assuming you can negotiate a flight of steps and stand up from the dining table without trouble, your benefit strikes me as less pressing than, say, that of my mother-in-law.
I was just thinking trades wouldn't benifit that much. We have trucks and cranes and stuff.
What construction material weighs 100kg? All the stuff is made to be installed by a guy or two. Big stuff is hoisted with cranes, heavy concrete is pumped. A sheet of plywood is carried by one man, a cement block gets plopped 2 feet from where it needs installed one by one, doors and windows are a one man show.
None of it is handled directly by humans either. Exo skeletons would be sweet, I just think in reality construction is already highly optimized for regular strength humans. Would be very slim productivity gains.
the difficult part for the elderly is how to put it on, the product assumes always someone helps with it, also the weight itself could be a safety hazard
The way it looks on her makes me think that trump might actually be wearing something similar, with the extra bulk you see in recent months. The taps he makes, the odd gate, kinda makes sense.
Maybe it's just an XL diaper, but, seems topical that the commander in chief seems to be wearing what could quite well perhaps be an exoskeleton pretty much on the regular.
This is just one view, one take. There's something going on though, across a while now. Again, maybe just a huge daiper, fine. But sure seems probable to be a exoskeleton. https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mxf2mlsrb72v
How exciting it would be to use EAP's (electroactive polymers) that can bend stretch and change shape in response to electrical signaling. You basically put on a skin tight thick suit (like a dry suit) that is controlled by your own bodies electrical signaling via an implant? Sort of like a fascia outside of the body that gives you a massive boost of strength and super human ability. Fantasy, I know.....
A pair of skis that have a core that can stiffen under stress, bend or chatter would be interesting too. Wearing exo legs while skiing may work for some, but I think would take away from the fun and challenge. I suppose it'd let a person ski faster, which in turn would warrant the variable core. Wouldn't want to fall though or would the exo legs act as a protective mechanism? The material in the core could also be in the exo legs, like a variable turbo-charger.
It's the age of ages. Everything that was is dead and the age of everything that will be is upon us.
This morning I consiged my old underwear to the trash heap of history and strode forward into a new age of fresh boxer shorts. I'm off to write a blog about how to query databases in the age of my new pants.
Adult me is terrified by the thing—it looks like it could snap you in half if you suddenly found yourself less limber than it was.
[1] https://cyberneticzoo.com/man-amplifiers/1966-69-g-e-hardima...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipRslDOIG5g
beer arm lifter.
grocery bag arm hooks.
dance instructor with couples integration for toe avoidance. [skeptical spouse sales pitch]
seat getter outer. (and toilet sitter downer)
The trades would benefit enormously from such a thing.
What construction material weighs 100kg? All the stuff is made to be installed by a guy or two. Big stuff is hoisted with cranes, heavy concrete is pumped. A sheet of plywood is carried by one man, a cement block gets plopped 2 feet from where it needs installed one by one, doors and windows are a one man show.
None of that material handling is cheap.
If exo-skeletons ever get good they should have a good decade long heydey just by virtue of not being regulated to high heaven (yet).
Basically the same reason knuckle booms took over from truck cranes for routine delivery.
None of it is handled directly by humans either. Exo skeletons would be sweet, I just think in reality construction is already highly optimized for regular strength humans. Would be very slim productivity gains.
"hey exo, download me!"
"upload me into bed!"
Hell, give me flight while you’re at it - iron man style.
At one point I wondered if it was feasible to get into this industry myself with my prosthetic, electrical engineering, and software background
Maybe with AI assistance it’s possible, or in the alternative case it goes the “Thomas Midgely” way and cripples or maims me further
cough...Artificial Intelligence...cough
This is just one view, one take. There's something going on though, across a while now. Again, maybe just a huge daiper, fine. But sure seems probable to be a exoskeleton. https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mxf2mlsrb72v
This morning I consiged my old underwear to the trash heap of history and strode forward into a new age of fresh boxer shorts. I'm off to write a blog about how to query databases in the age of my new pants.
Cool exoskeletons, though.