Exoskeleton

Powered exoskeletons (aka exosuits) will probably take off faster than other augmentations as they don't require any surgery or training - just strap on and go! Receiving a lot of funding from the military for the rehabilitation of the wounded, as well as to reduce load on troops, exoskeletons can also benefit businesses with increased load carrying and therefore productivity of its workforce.

Lessons learnt in powered joints and stability will feed into robotics and vice versa, creating a cross-over technology between humans controlling robots and robot-wearing humans. The choice will likely be function specific balancing the flexibility of human presence with risks, for example the military removing the human from danger entirely, whereas disaster response organisations may keep the human onsite but with a greatly enhanced ability to rescue and rebuild.

Resources

Resource HAL - Hybrid Assistive Limb - Lower-body exoskeleton made by Japanese company.

Resource CYBERDYNE Inc. - Robotics and technology company producing exoskeleton suits.

Resource MATE - Lightweight, portable upper-limb exoskeleton, Muscular Aiding Tech Exoskeleton.

Resource CLOi SuitBot - Wearable robot designed to support lower body.

Resource Elevate - Robotic exoskeleton designed to help with skiing.

Resource ExoChair - Industrial lower body exoskeleton.

Resource ReStore - Soft robotic exosuit that helps people with lower limd disability due to stroke.

Resource ReWalk Robotics - Bionic walking assistance system.

Resource XoSoft - Modular soft lower-limb exoskeleton to assist people with mobility impairments.

Resource Wandercraft - Company producing exoskeletons.

Exoskeleton

Resources

Recent News

Pneumatic exoskeleton "Every Muscle Suit" reaches the public

Direct brain interface enables paralysed man to walk in exoskeleton

Biomimetic XoSoft to assist people with mobility impairments