-
Early in 2016, news trickled out of Hyundai that the company was working on an Iron Man–like robotic human exoskeleton. We were intrigued, but information at the time was limited, and Hyundai didn’t share much beyond some images and the simple fact that it was working on the technology. Now at the 2017 CES, Hyundai has debuted a trio of more developed exoskeleton concepts with applications ranging from helping paraplegics walk to providing muscular support to those with weaker legs or backs.
-
-
The most Iron Man Hyundai suit is the HUMA (Hyundai Universal Medical Assist), which mechanically aids every limb to give those with weaker muscles or other mobility issues a boost in their movements. Outside of being able to physically assist up to 88 pounds of a user’s weight, HUMA can also help fully mobile humans lift heavier objects or run at speeds up to 7.5 mph. Hyundai helpfully points out that such capabilities might make HUMA attractive to the military or industries that could use superhuman strength and mobility.
-
-
For the other two suits, Hyundai homed in on specific medical needs. The H-Mex (Hyundai Medical Exoskeleton), for example, is designed to give those with lower-spinal-cord injuries the ability to move on their own again. The mechanical leg assistants can help a paraplegic user stand up, walk around, climb stairs, or sit down. The H-Wex (Hyundai Waist Exoskeleton) is another wearable. As its name implies, H-Wex works largely on stabilizing the legs, hips, and back for waist-based motions such as repeatedly bending over or lifting an object.
-
-
-
Hyundai Creates Exoskeleton Robot Suit Thing for Humans
-
Major Kirobo: Toyota Launches Modern-Day Furby in Japan
-
These People Are Making Real-Life Transformers out of BMWs
-
-
-
-
HUMA and H-Mex can be adjusted to fit different users by extending or retracting the limb-tracing appendages, and both feature removable battery packs. So how do they help humans walk? According to Hyundai, H-Mex “provides individually tailored gait-pattern adjustment by calculating a series of factors, including walking pace, length of stride, and torso tilting angle via an application program installed in a smart device.” Meanwhile, HUMA’s various joints are said to coordinate their movements with those of the user via a vast sensor array that tries to predict a user’s motion in real time. H-Wex seems to require less power than either HUMA or H-Mex, as it merely controls the user’s bending motion to ensure nothing gets tweaked, and Hyundai says it is more of a safety device than anything else.
-
So what does the future hold for these robotic aids? Hyundai isn’t saying for now, but keep in mind that the automaker’s parent company by the same name has long dabbled in industrial equipment such as trucks, forklifts, earthmovers, and generators. We think an expansion into what amount to medical and industrial devices that serve a good purpose wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.
-
-