MARKET OVERVIEW
AUTHOR: MILTON D’SILVA
THE EXOSKELETONS ARE HERE While the use of exoskeletons in industry is still at the lower end of the spectrum, there is growing awareness about the benefits of exoskeletons in industrial applications.
The highly ergonomic Comau MATE upper body exoskeleton.
Example of a natural exoskeleton – the Japanese Spider Crab.
03 - Electronics Journal - JULY 2021
4
I
n nature, some animals and insects have exoskeletons or external skeletons unlike most other living creatures, including humans, who have internal skeletons or endoskeletons. Crabs, lobsters, cockroaches, grasshoppers and several types of beetles are examples of natural exoskeletons. The early body armour adopted by human beings for combat was inspired by these exoskeletal creatures. The exoskeleton as a wearable device to augment human capabilities is of more recent origin, even as the idea was considered by many early inventors. An early example is a passive spring body brace invented in 1890, which supported the upper body in a stooping
position, to relieve fatigue. However, the concept received serious attention only in the 1960s when GE developed the Hardiman in collaboration with the US Army and Navy for military use. Though the project was not successful, it paved the way for further development of the concept. Exoskeletons thus made for human beings may be described as mechanical or mechatronic devices attached closely to the body, which support the musculoskeletal system using various mechanical principles. These wearable devices mimic the structure of human limbs, joints and muscles and boost the
