THE ROBOT REPORT_DESIGN WORLD AUGUST 2019

A Supplement to Design World - August 2019 www.designworldonline.com

Myomo Scales up Production, Training for Upper-Body Mobility Device page 76

INSIDE: • Exoskeleton Developers Must Keep Refining Capabilities, Cost, Says maxon Manager ......60 • Industrial Exoskeletons Gain Capabilities, Expand Into New Uses .....................................66 • Why Engineers Should Attend the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum ..........................72 • Sarcos Robotics Readies Guardian Alpha for Industrial Use ...............................................82 • Robotic Hand Uses Machine Learning to Detect Wearer’s Intent .....................................90

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The Robot Report

Exoskeleton Developers Must Keep Refining Capabilities, Cost, Says maxon Manager Company supports Cybathlon teams, works on Generation 2 of its joint actuator.

Eugene Demaitre • Senior Editor • The Robot Report

The story of exoskeletons is full of twists and turns, with promising technologies, challenging use cases, and a sometimes tortuous path to adoption. Robotics observers might be familiar with demonstrations on video or at conferences, but the developer story is rarely told.

The Robot Report recently got some insights from Otto Ineichen, business development manager

at maxon motor ag in Switzerland. Ineichen has experience as an applications engineer and a sales engineer, and he described the evolution of exoskeletons for healthcare and industrial uses.

How did maxon, which supplies high-precision drives for robots and other devices, become interested in exoskeletons?

maxon motors’ Ineichen

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Ineichen: A few years ago, we became more and more focused in the U.S. on exoskeletons.

We studied the growing market and saw exoskeletons for medical applications.

Maxon developed motors based on our standard parts. We have Generation 1, and we’re now working on Generation 2, to come next year.

August 2019 www.designworldonline.com

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maxon is supporting teams for Cybathlon 2020. | maxon motor

The exoskeleton market will grow from 7,000 units and global hardware revenue of $192 million last year to 301,000 units and $5.8 billion in revenue by 2028, predicts ABI Research.

How does that compare with maxon’s expectations?

Ineichen: We design a dedicated drive for the companies building exoskeletons. Most companies on the market with electricdriven exoskeletons initially designed them for medical or military use.

The majority of the industrial applications are passive exoskeletons, which are driven by springs or gas, to support assembly work. These exoskeletons are for supporting lower limbs, like the knees or hips for lifting tasks, or for the upper limbs for overhead work.

We’ve seen lots of companies and universities around the world developing exoskeletons, some in New Zealand, some in Europe, and some in the U.S.

DESIGN WORLD

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maxon designed its exoskeleton actuator after studying the market. | maxon

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The Robot Report

New Zealandbased Rex Bionics used maxon motors in its exoskeleton for restoring the ability to walk. | maxon motor

We design precision motors for the companies building exoskeletons. Most companies in the exoskeleton market initially designed for medical or military use. — Ineichen

What was the initial reception of maxon’s motors for exoskeletons?

What else should exoskeleton designers be aware of?

Ineichen: Last year, we released our Exoskeleton Joint Actuator. A lot of universities used it for prototypes, and they liked it very much.

Based on their experience and feedback, we are able to provide more customized drives.

Ineichen: During the development stage, we thought that backlash would be important and then discovered that was not the case. This allowed us to work on a simpler design and put more effort into dynamic motion controls.

At maxon, we understand that customization is very important during the design concept. At our newly built manufacturing facility in the U.S., maxon engineering services assist with project design.

We’re also working with universities participating in Cybathlon 2020, a competition for people with physical disabilities using assistive technologies. maxon is a key sponsor of the event and is supporting teams with our drive systems, as well as our expertise in drive technology. (continues on page 65)

How is exoskeleton technology changing? We already know that battery weight and endurance are issues.

Ineichen: Based on what we’ve learned from the first users, exoskeleton developers need to continue trying to reduce the weight and to make it more dynamic. Most exoskeletons do not have the range of motion of the human body, but that is improving.

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NEW!

Introducing FHA-C mini (24VDC) Actuator with Dual Absolute Encoders and Panel Mount Connectors. Small actuators deliver high torque with exceptional accuracy and repeatability. Peak torque 1.8~28 Nm, max speed 60~200 rpm.

• A pair of Single-Turn Absolute Encoders for Input

• Wide encoder voltage range (4.75-30) • Harmonic Drive® CSF zero-backlash gear

and Output Sensing • Output Encoder 14 bit (16384 cpr) resolution

• Compact dimensions

• Input Encoder 14 bit (16384 cpr) resolution

• High-torque/weight and torque/volume ratio

• BiSS-C bi-directional communication for both encoders

• Panel Mount Connectors with 4 exit options

978.532.1800 • www.HarmonicDrive.net Harmonic Drive is a registered trademark of Harmonic Drive LLC.

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The Robot Report (continued from page 62)

What have you learned about exoskeletons for healthcare?

What advice do you have for exoskeleton developers?

Ineichen: In the beginning, exoskeletons were mostly in hospitals and rehabilitation centers because of control and the price of the systems.

If engineers could reduce the weight and the size, that would make it easier for patients to use, and would help bring them into the home. In terms of efficiency, we already have highefficiency systems.

As for cost, a reduction from the current price of approximately $45,000 per exoskeleton is needed to make it more affordable -- the cost driver is based on quantity. Exoskeletons are currently low-volume; they could be less expensive if they were produced in higher volumes.

The biggest part of the costs is in the development, not the actuator. If vendors could sell more exoskeletons, that cost could be divided among more systems.

Ineichen: A good point is that they should go to the motor producer really early in the design process. If they do that, it’s much easier to integrate drives into the whole system.

Developers may have to change from a unique design, making it harder to do a final design. If they can use something existing, the development time is much shorter.

That said, maxon is known for working closely with its customer base.

We are strong in customization with design specifications in mind.

It’s important to know that our Generation 1 Exoskeleton Joint Actuator is a universal system. It has a lot of functions for testing and is a good starting point. The motor can be optimized so that developers can make quick progress. RR

Does maxon follow developments in soft robotics and exoskeletons?

Ineichen: We do work with some companies in this field. The application is much different from the exoskeleton for paraplegic patients.

In the medical field, it’s often used for people recovering from strokes. Soft exosuits can help support them in the recovery process.

In general, the user needs a basic muscle function for soft exosuits, and the suit just amplifies the force.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

What do you think about increasing competition?

Ineichen: We’ve seen that there are other companies entering this field, and we expect them to come up with some good systems. maxon has been working on our designs and making them even better.

We feel that we have had a great head start on perfecting what is needed in the marketplace. Our Generation 2 system will showcase these new developments.

DESIGN WORLD

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The Robot Report

Industrial Exoskeletons

Gain Capabilities, Expand Into New Uses Wearable robots aid workers in industries beyond healthcare.

Eugene Demaitre and Dan Kara • The Robot Report

Although exoskeletons are best known for helping people with disabilities, limitations of weight, power, and cost have slowed adoption rates. In the meantime, enabling technologies have continued to advance, and industrial exoskeletons are providing developers experience in a variety of applications.

The majority of today’s $130 million wearable robotics market is for medical exoskeletons, but industrial exoskeletons are growing in number, as is the number of providers, reported Wintergreen Research Inc. Industrial exoskeletons augment human operators’ cognitive abilities with mechanical strength and endurance. They mirror the structure of human limbs, joints, and muscles while providing support and stabilization. They are similar to robots in enabling the precise performance of repetitive tasks.

For example, Hyundai Motor Group has been testing in a North American Kia factory its Hyundai Vest Exoskeleton (H-VEX), which is designed to reduce pressure on workers’ necks and backs. Its Hyundai Chairless Exoskeleton (H-CEX) assists sitting workers and is meant to relieve knee stress.

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Shared Enabling Technologies Advances in actuators, batteries, and advanced materials are increasing the functionality and reducing the cost of exoskeletons, resulting in more widespread adoption. The intersection between other areas of robotics and medical technologies is driving much of that innovation.

Industrial robots and medical devices share a need for more lightweight and capable systems. For example, Harmonic Drive’s lightweight, brushless FLA rotary actuators are useful for both types of systems. Levitate Technologies uses polymer bearings from igus in its unpowered exosuit.

In addition, maxon motor recently introduced a compact, low-weight Exoskeleton Drive joint actuation unit that consists of a brushless DC motor with inertia-optimized rotor and highresolution encoders.

DESIGN WORLD

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In return, the medical exoskeleton market will likely benefit from the spread of industrial exoskeletons, as affordability improves.

ReWalk Robotics’ announcement that Cigna Corp. will reimburse exoskeleton expenses for people with spinal cord injuries demonstrates the progress being made. Israel-based ReWalk also recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its ReStore exoskeleton for stroke rehabilitation.

Fourier Intelligence Co. is developing its Fourier X2 open platform with affordability in mind.

“The new Fourier X2 is lighter, with better materials to make it more wearable,” said Zen Koh, deputy CEO of the Shanghai-based company. “The application can be used in research, education, different augmentation application purposes, and industrial use. www.designworldonline.com

Hyundai is using industrial exoskeletons to relieve worker stress. | Hyundai

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The Robot Report

Adoption and Testing Advances in industrial exoskeletons, as well as increasing familiarity with their potential on the part of businesses, is increasing testing and adoption. The Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, in which equipment is leased or rented rather than bought outright, is also helping to alleviate cost and risk concerns.

Industrial exoskeletons are finding early use cases in automotive manufacturing because of the repetitive, labor-intensive nature of the work.

Other applications include logistics, retail, and construction.

While both suppliers and early users are typically reluctant to discuss trials, some large international companies have openly shared their exoskeleton experiences, which have been mostly positive.

Hyundai: In 2018, Hyundai Motor Group began testing its Hyundai Vest Exoskeleton (H-VEX), which pressure on workers’ neck and back, at a North American Hyundai-KIA factory. This follows trials of the Hyundai Chairless Exoskeleton (H-CEX), a knee joint sustainability device that maintains the sitting position of workers. According to Hyundai, both the H-CEX and H-VEX systems are designed to reduce injuries and increase worker efficiency.

Ford purchased 75 EksoVest exoskeletons from Ekso Bionics to reduce workforce injuries. | Ford

Ford: Following a pilot program with exoskeleton maker Ekso Bionics, Ford last summer introduced 75 of Exo Bionics’ upper-body exoskeletons across 15 automotive plants worldwide. Ford stated that the exoskeletons, which assist employees performing overhead tasks, should reduce the number of repetitive motion injuries.

BMW: A BMW assembly plant in South Carolina is using Levitate Technologies’ AIRFRAME exoskeleton. The unpowered, upper-body exoskeletons are also being trialed at other BMW plants. Levitate representatives claimed that AIRFRAME can reduce exertion levels by up to 80% for tasks involving repetitive arm motion.

Providers by Exoskeleton Type As the nascent wearable robotics market grows, the number of exoskeleton providers is also growing. The diversity of currently available commercial exo-skeletons reflects the widely ranging backgrounds and core historical strengths of suppliers. They can be distinguished by their products’ design and intended use.

maxon motor’s Exoskeleton Drive.

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| maxon

Arms, upper and lower body: Exoskeletons come in many forms, including systems that attach at the hip and transmit weight to the floor such as Lockheed Martin’s FORTIS or Noonee’s Chairless Chair, which can lock in place and act as a seat. Others, such as StrongArm Technologies’ FLx ErgoSkeleton, are upper body systems, while still others assist hands in gripping, like Bioservo Technologies’ Ironhand.

August 2019 www.designworldonline.com

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Powered and unpowered: Although most exoskeletons use batteries to power actuation and assistance, some rely on non-traditional sources such as elastic systems. Examples of powered exoskeletons include ATOUN’s Power Assist ARM, Innophys’ Muscle Suit, Cyberdyne’s HAL for Labor Support, RB3D’s HERCULE, Sarcos Robotics’ Guardian XO, and Noonee’s Chairless Chair.

In contrast to powered exoskeletons, unpowered or “passive” devices increase strength and provide stability through a combination of human-guided flexion/ extension and locking mechanisms.

Unpowered industrial exoskeletons include Ottobock’s Paexo, Levitate Technologies’ AIRFRAME, suitX’s MAX Exoskeleton Suit, StrongArm Technologies’ FLx ErgoSkeleton, Laevo’s Laevo, and Lockheed Martin’s Fortis.

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The Robot Report Sarcos Robotics Guardian XO industrial exoskeleton. | Sarcos Robotics

Rigid and soft: Rigid exoskeletons offer power and precision, but they can produce musculoskeletal stress due to their weight and unnatural or constrained movement. As a result, a number of companies are developing exoskeletons made of soft, lightweight, and compliant materials. The systems themselves are powered with soft muscle actuators, compressed air, or flexion/ extension mechanisms. Examples include Bioservo Technologies’ Ironhand and Daiya Industry’s Power Assist Glove.

Organizations such as Harvard University and Seismic, which are developing soft exoskeletons for military or consumer applications, respectively, are likely to target the industrial sector at some point.

International Interest in Industrial Exoskeletons In addition to increasing lifting capacity and minimizing physical stress, another

demand driver for industrial exoskeletons is an aging labor pool and a shortage of qualified replacements.

Global demand for industrial exoskeletons is already strong. ABI Research has stated that the total addressable market for industrial exoskeletons exceeds 2.6 million units and that shipments will grow from 7,000 units in 2018 to 301,000 by 2028, with revenue of $5.8 billion by 2028.

Early this year, Ekso Bionics Inc. signed a $100 million joint-venture agreement with investors in China to build manufacturing facilities there and expand its marketing efforts. The company previously sold 75 EksoVest industrial exoskeletons to Ford for use in two plants in Dearborn, Mich.

It was the largest adoption of industrial exoskeletons to date.

In March, German Bionic presented its IO cloud platform, which it said connects its third-generation Cray exoskeleton with networked manufacturing systems through

the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and applies machine learning to controls for Industry 4.0.

German prosthetics maker Ottobock also plans to sell industrial exoskeletons.

Eighty percent of people who tried the Paexo exoskeleton for overhead work at a Volkswagen plant in Bratislava said they’d recommend it to their colleagues.

Comau SpA developed its Muscular Aiding Tech Exoskeleton (MATE) with Iceland-based ÖSSUR and Italy-based IUVO. MATE is designed to be lightweight, easy to use, and suitable for tasks such as restocking shelves.

Similarly, automakers including BMW, Ford, and Hyundai are already using San Diego-based Levitate Technologies Inc.’s AIRFRAME exoskeleton (see sidebar). Each of these industrial exoskeletons advances the state of the art for weight, battery duration, and responsiveness. RR

The Paexo exoskeleton assists manufacturing and service workers with strenuous activities, particularly overhead work. | Paexo

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The Robot Report

Why Engineers

Should Attend the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum

Exoskeleton designers and other roboticists can learn from experts and peers at this new event.

Eugene Demaitre • Senior Editor • The Robot Report

Assistive and intelligent systems for healthcare have the dual challenges of high expectations and difficult problems to solve. The Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum is intended to help engineers understand the component technologies, develop best practices, and successfully bring robotics products to market.

The Healthcare Robotics Engineering forum will be on December 9-10, 2019, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. It will address challenges in overcoming complexity for commercialization of healthcare and medical robotics. This includes surgical systems, logistics robots in hospitals, laboratory automation, and assistive and therapeutic devices.

The Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum will include tracks and sessions around enabling technologies, tools and platforms, design and development, and management and opportunities.

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Ekso Bionics has sponsored clinical research using its EksoGT exoskeletons with spinal cord injury participants, among others. | Ekso Bionics

DESIGN WORLD

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The Robot Report Health Expenditure as % of GDP 18%

1995

% of GDP

16%

2016

14% 12% 10% 8%

Interest in healthcare robotics keeps growing Healthcare robots are not yet as well-established as their industrial cousins, but most industry analysts agree on the growing demand. For instance, analyst firm Tractica has forecast that the number of healthcare robots shipped will increase from 3,400 in 2016 to 10,500 units per year worth $2.8 billion in 2021, with exoskeletons and prosthetics surpassing surgical robots.

Similarly, BIS Research predicted that the global market will grow from $5.4 billion in 2017 to $11.44 billion by 2023.

In the Asia/Pacific region alone (excluding Japan), healthcare providers could spend $7.03 billion by 2021, reported IDC Healthcare Insights.

“The effective adoption of robotics will augment physician efficiency, eliminate medical errors, plug care gaps, and enable bigger patient volume to access high-precision care delivery,” said Manoj Vallikkat, research manager at IDC Asia/Pacific Healthcare Insights.

IDC also noted that the percentage of total spending on robots by healthcare providers will increase from 3.1% this year to 4.9% by 2022.

The global market for exoskeletons will grow to $5.8 billion by 2028, predicted ABI Research, and Grand View Research predicted a compound annual growth rate of 58.4% between 2018 and 2025.

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provider Myomo Inc. offering $6.4 million in stock, and ReWalk Robotics Ltd. raising $5 million. NextStep Robotics raised $600,000 for its assistive technology.

Healthcare robotics engineering forum comes to Silicon Valley After the success of June’s Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, WTWH Media LLC announced the new event. WTWH Media is the parent organization of The Robot Report and Design World.

The Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum will be co-located with DeviceTalks.

The forum and expo in Santa Clara, Calif., will enable designers and engineers to speak with and learn from researchers, manufacturers, investors, and other experts in healthcare robotics.

Other features for robotics developers will include keynotes by technology leaders, workshops, demonstrations, and networking events. There are also opportunities for potential speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors.

Visit www.healthcareroboticsforum.com for more information. RR

Investors look for promising products In the first half of 2019, The Robot Report tracked a total of $7.7 billion in 30 transactions around healthcare robotics and related technologies. The biggest was Johnson & Johnson’s $3.4 billion acquisition of surgical robotics provider Auris Health Inc. Surgical robotics leader Intuitive Surgical Inc. raised $2 billion, and Verily, which is owned by Google parent Alphabet Inc., raised $1 billion.

Exoskeletons also received investor interest, with Ekso Bionics Holdings joining a $100 million joint venture in China, wearables

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The Robot Report

Myomo Scales Up Production, Training for Upper-Body Mobility Device

Myomo has refined the hardware and software design of its wearable devices and is working with therapists and insurers to help people regain arm function.

Eugene Demaitre • Senior Editor • The Robot Report

From perception and analysis to actuation, many robotics technologies have applications in healthcare, particularly in prosthetics and exoskeletons. Myomo Inc.’s MyoPro is a wearable brace that uses sensors and algorithms to restore mobility to users.

More than 3 million people in the U.S. have lost control over their arms and hands because of stroke, brachial plexus injury (BPI), cerebral palsy, or other neuromuscular diseases or injuries.

“After six months of rehab, many patients are essentially told that they won’t be able to use that arm again,” said Paul R. Gudonis, CEO of Myomo.

“That’s 1% of the population, or 3 million people in the U.S.”

The MyoPro wearable device can restore mobility for everyday tasks. | Myomo DESIGN WORLD

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The Robot Report

Developing ‘power steering’ for the arm Cambridge, Mass.-based Myomo is based on technology developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School.

“A dozen years ago, we spun out of MIT,” Gudonis told The Robot Report.

“Dr. Woodie Flowers was a pioneer in powered prosthetics, and his lab originally focused on amputees. However, a pair of grad students said there was a much larger group of people who could be helped.”

Myomo uses sensors built into a cuff that fits over the bicep and tricep muscles. They detect electromyographic (EMG) signals and activate motors to move the arm at the elbow.

“Unlike implants in the brain, which are still experimental, electromyogram sensors sit in a device on the surface of the skin,” said Gudonis. “In able-bodied individuals, the muscle emits voltage when activated, and there’s 100% signal strength, but after a stroke or other injury, the signals are attenuated.”

“The myoelectric orthosis, or powered arm brace, detects the intention to move as the muscle sends a micro EMG signal,” he explained. “Onboard software deciphers it, providing power steering for the arm.”

MyoPro can restore function for some people after years of disability. | Myomo “The control unit on the side of the brace has the battery and a circuit board and sends control signals to two motors at the elbow and hand,” Gudonis said.

Myomo’s technology can be liberating for people using it, according to Gudonis.

“People can feed themselves, open doors, and carry objects,” he said.

Myomo makes software, hardware refinements There have been several improvements over time, Gudonis said. “First is the refinement of the software algorithms and electromechanical interface,” he said.

MyoPro enables people to use both arms. | Myomo

“Second, taking our original design and making it a lightweight — 2.5 to 3 lb. — custom-fabricated orthosis or brace,” said Gudonis. “This takes it out of the clinic or rehabilitation hospital, and it can be used in the home or office.”

“Every few years, we bring out a new revision,” he said. “MyoPro 2 has the added ability to open and close hands. It has four sensors, on the bicep, tricep, flexor, and extensor, and it connects to a mobile app with Bluetooth.”

“We’re working on finer motor controls and lighter weight.” said Gudonis. “We use small motors from Maxon, and the battery is designed to be used all day. It can pop out, and we provide a spare battery.”

A major hurdle for exoskeletons and other wearable devices in the U.S. has been reimbursement by insurance providers. Myomo is working with healthcare service providers.

“Our device is provided through orthotics and prosthetics clinics and billed to insurers,” Gudonis said. “The out-ofpocket price to the user depends on the his or her insurance plan, and it may be just a few thousand dollars.”

Reaching and training users “This is really disruptive technology in the rehabilitation industry,” claimed Gudonis.

“Prior solutions have been hands-on therapy at the hospital or big stationary machines in clinics, but nothing portable that people can use at home.”

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“We’re using online advertising to inform 3 million people that there’s something for them,” he said. “We’re inviting them to free screening days, where they can be evaluated by a medical professional, and we can help them get reimbursed.”

“When people try on the demo device, they either laugh or cry,” said Gudonis.

“One user was a veteran who was injured at 25. In 40 years, it was the first time he could use that arm. Another was an 18-year-old in Milwaukee who suffered a BPI at birth and hadn’t used her right arm since then. She’s now using both arms.”

Users then go to local therapists to be trained in how to use Myomo’s devices, and the therapists themselves need training.

“After users get insurance authorization, they place an order, and the local orthotist measures the arm and hand,” Gudonis said. “Like with prosthetics, they send an order to us for custom fabrication. We use a shop in Ohio, and lightweight plastic elements fit over the robotic elements, like a custom ski boot.”

“We have a training staff consisting of certified prosthetists, orthotists, and occupational therapists,” he said. “They train clinicians on how to evaluate patients, as well as work with occupational therapists at rehab hospitals around the country.”

“The software settings can be adjusted by the clinician,” noted Gudonis. “As muscles are used over time, the nerve signals can get stronger and need less amplification. We can adjust the gain applied to each joint of the arm. In other cases, such as ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis], signals can decrease over time, but Myomo can help users remain functionally independent.”

Adding capabilities Myomo is working on a pediatric version of the MyoPro 2. “It’s currently registered with the FDA for adults and adolescents,” Gudonis explained. “But millions of children are affected by conditions like stroke, cerebral palsy, birth brachial plexus injuries, spinal muscular atrophy, and AFM [acute flaccid myelitis], which is like polio.”

To work with children, Myomo’s device must be lighter, expandable, and “pass the sandbox test,” he said, adding that the MyoPro is water-resistant: “Users can wash dishes, but they shouldn’t go swimming or take a shower with it on.”

“We’re working with Boston Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia Children’s Hospital, and Easter Seals,” said Gudonis. “Some of these improvements in terms of lighter weight and algorithmic changes will eventually apply to MyoPro 3.”

Scaling up Myomo went public in June 2017 and has raised $25 million in the public capital markets.

“We’ve outsourced manufacturing of some robotics components to Cogmedix in Worcester, Mass., and a fabrication company in Cleveland,” Gudonis said.

“We’re also talking to other custom fabrication shops in the U.S. and Europe to have sufficient capacity.”

“We were just doing controlled rollouts in just a few markets, and we’re now really scaling up commercial rollouts to the top 50 metropolitan service areas in the U.S.” said Gudonis. “We’re registered with the FDA and have a medical device license in Canada and a CE mark in Europe.”

“For lower-extremity paralysis, there have been a number of solutions, such as exoskeletons from ReWalk, Ekso Bionics, and Indego from Parker Hannifin,” he said. “But for upper extremities, we offer the only commercially available product, protected with 21 patents in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.”

“Almost 900 devices are in use, and we’re growing strongly now,” Gudonis said. “Myomo built out its nationwide distribution in the past year, and we have our first distributors in Europe, Chile, and Australia. Our goal is to be in all major regional markets by the end of this year.”

RR

80 August 2019 www.designworldonline.com

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The Robot Report

Sarcos Robotics Readies Guardian Alpha for Industrial Use

After years of development and industry feedback, Sarcos exoskeleton to get more comfortable.

Eugene Demaitre • Senior Editor • The Robot Report

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L

Late last year, Sarcos Robotics unveiled its Guardian XO Max, a “full-body,

powered industrial exoskeleton robotic system.” While it’s bigger than wearable technologies designed for hospital or home use, the robot is the only one designed for full-shift commercial use.

The Salt Lake City-based company’s latest industrial exoskeleton is able to run for up to eight hours on a single charge. It also has “hot-swappable” batteries and uses a “Get-Out-of-the-Way” control system that’s designed to follow its operator’s lead rather than need lots of sensors.

With a strength amplification of 20 to 1, the Guardian XO Max can help users lift 200 pounds. Sarcos’ exoskeleton is entering its alpha phase of testing.

Demand grows for industrial exoskeletons Back injuries cost U.S. employers more than $100 billion per year, so avoiding injury is just as important as enhancing strength, noted Sarcos.

“There are many misperceptions regarding the commercial readiness and viability of full-body industrial exoskeletons that are capable of substantially increasing human strength and endurance, including the amount of power required to operate these machines,” stated Ben Wolff, chairman and CEO of Salt Lake City-based Sarcos.

“Sarcos’ Guardian XO Max will be a game-changer for the industrial workforce, improving strength and capabilities, reducing the risk of injury on the job, and increasing the quality of life and longevity of workers,” predicted IDC analyst John Santagate.

The company raised a $30 million Series B round of funding last September.

| Sarcos Robotics

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Military roots of exoskeleton design Sarco’s development of exoskeletons can be divided into different phases.

“In 2000, it was through DARPA and U.S. Department of Defense [DOD] programs,” said Chris Beaufait, chief operating officer of Sarcos. “It evolved from helping a soldier to carry a pack to a full-body exosuit, in which we initially used hydraulics in the prototype.”

The U.S. Special Operations Command has worked with Sarcos on the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS), an exoskeleton designed to protect forces from small arms fire while providing support for strenuous activities.

The U.S. military is also working with Lockheed Martin and other contractors to develop wearable robotics.

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The Robot Report

The Raytheon Sarcos XOS 2 military exoskeleton was released in 2010. | Raytheon

“We’re looking at manufacturing, logistics, and construction -- those sectors are driving a lot of our specifications.”

-- Chris Beaufait, COO, Sarcos

However, the Guardian XO Max is designed primarily for civilian use.

“Because we’ve had almost 19 years of interaction and experience with defense programs, military needs did influence our design, but as we look forward today, we’re tailoring our requirements to how robots interface with industrial environments,” Beaufait told The Robot Report. “We’re looking at manufacturing, logistics, and construction -- those sectors are driving a lot of our specifications.”

The Guardian XO Max can lift 200 lb. | Sarcos

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Managing power requirements, components “We then added some forms of energy recovery, and in 2010, we had a much more packaged unit,” said Beaufait. “Two big things have changed since then. The first was the source of energy -- you don’t want hydraulics oil at 3,000 PSI in industrial environments, so we had to go electric for energetic autonomy. We’re allelectric now.”

“The second things was reducing the power,” he recalled. “We expect the final product to be less than 500 W, down from 6,800 W.” Sarcos relies on a combination of supply chain partners and custom design.

“At the actuator or linkage level of the robot, there’s an enormous amount of bespoke design,” said Beaufait. “We have strong relationships with motor suppliers, electronic board suppliers, and machining houses. If a potential supplier has something that’s better than the industry standard, we’d love to talk with them.”

“They meet the specifications we provide, and we don’t have a lot of offthe-shelf components -- just some sensors,” he said. “We’ve been pretty fortunate in finding partners who can help reduce the computer and power demands.

We’re doing some pretty unique things to use minimal power.”

“Another aspect of our business model is how we’re using our global supply chain,” he noted. “We’re initially handling DESIGN WORLD

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The Robot Report things like alpha, beta, and low-rate production ourselves, but we can work with contract manufacturers to scale.”

Working with testers “In March, we announced the X-TAG [Exoskeleton Technical Advisory Group],” said Beaufait. “We have about a dozen companies that we’ve been engaging with, and they’ve already given us feedback on specifications such as being able to lift 200 lb.”

“Given that we’re between the prototype and the alpha phase, they have questions around the tangible aspects of somebody using it on the operations side,” he said. “On the company side, they’re interested in what we’re doing about safety and potential faults. They’re comfortable about where we’re at.”

“We’ll deliver one alpha unit to the DOD in December,” Beaufait said. “It’s not a military version but for logistics, effectively beginning alpha testing.”

The Guardian XO will begin alpha testing in December. | Sarcos

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Moving from motion to comfort Sarcos’ “Get-Out-of-the-Way” control system reflects advances in humanmachine interaction.

“The robot monitors the human, who moves the way they normally would, and responds,” said Beaufait. “Our algorithm is quite mature.”

“We’ve now moved on to things like employee comfort,” he added. “Many companies have passive exoskeletons, and we hear from them on heat and discomfort. Workers don’t want to share harnesses.”

“The items we’re spending a bit of time are making sure that wherever there’s a soft-tissue interface -- chest and pelvis harnesses, then hands and feet -- we make sure that they don’t chafe,” Beaufait said. “We want to make sure that somebody can use the exoskeleton for appropriate times for manufacturing, construction, or logistics tasks. We want it to be as comfortable as getting into your car.”

“We’ve done things in the past for different government agencies for space and underwater, but our X-TAG members have shared the most important lessons learned -- anywhere people wear suits for long periods,” he explained.

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The Robot Report “Personalization is important for what an individual wears, such as harnesses and footwear.”

“We’re looking very closely at what’s needed for males and females of varying heights,” Beaufait said. “We’ve already shown that an average-size male wearing the robot can fit through a normal 36-in. door.”

one to three per week to our team.”

“As we evolve from the development stage to production and commercialization, we’re looking for engineers with electromechanical, control, and software experience, as well as those who have worked in a field that have experience with industry and product,” he said.

Managing expectations by use case “There are specific user-customizable items for people in different tasks, and we provide a high level of adaptability in software and controls,” said Beaufait.

“We’ll be looking in alpha testing at what customers want for different uses, such as center of gravity or different modes.”

“We want to put configurability into the robot but not give too many choices.

It might be customer by customer or industry by industry,” he added. “We really want to understand what the use cases will be.”

“Once they understand the Guardian’s adaptability with a human inside, we’ll see how they get comfortable in the environment and what are the best end effectors by use,” Beaufait said.

Competition and ROI “When you look at what’s out there today, there’s basically passive exoskeletons that extend endurance, then medical rehabilitation, and then a few looking at industrial exoskeletons to augment human performance,” Beuafait said. “Based on what we’ve heard from two academic institutions -- including Virginia Tech, which has an NSF grant -and the X-TAG members, there’s nobody doing what we’ve been doing since 2000.”

“A few companies, particularly in Asia, are working on industrial exoskeletons, but they appear to be where we were 10 years ago,” he said. “Once we put our product out there, we have to continue to invest and stay ahead.”

“There’s nobody doing a full-bodied exoskeleton that people can use for an eight-hour shift and can lift 200 lb.,” he said. “That said, our real challenge isn’t competition, but showing customers

Looking for talent “We’re definitely looking for people,” said Beaufait. “At Sarcos.com/careers, we have about 20 jobs listed, and we’re adding

the return on investment and how our exoskeleton can reduce injuries and help one worker do the work of four people.”

“I believe that we’re at an inflection point, as we look at the unstructured robotics space,” Beaufait said. “I expect we’ll see a lot of technology to improve power usage and applicability. It’s a very exciting time for robotics in general.”

Sarcos’ industrial exoskeleton will be available for pre-orders later this year under a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) model and will ship to the first customers in early 2020. RR

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

Sarcos expects to customize exoskeletons and tools by use case. | Sarcos

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The Robot Report

Robotic Hand

Uses Machine Learning to Detect Wearer’s Intent

A

A South Korean team of researchers has developed Exo-Glove, which could help users with day-to-day tasks.

Seoul National University

A research team at Seoul National University

in South Korea has created a wearable hand robot called the Exo-Glove Poly II that can aid people who have lost hand mobility. The robot can detect the user’s intention by collecting and analyzing behaviors with machine learning.

The vision-based machine learning algorithm. | Soft Robotics Research Center, Seoul National University

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The research team at the Soft Robotics Research Center (SRRC) in Seoul is led by Prof. Sungho Jo from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) and Kyu-Jin Cho at Seoul National University. Collaborators include Daekyum Kim and Jeesoo Ha from KAIST, as well as Brian Byunghyun Kang, Kyu Bum Kim, Hyungmin Choi from Seoul National University.

The SRRC team has proposed a new intentiondetection paradigm for soft wearable hand robots.

It predicts grasping and releasing intentions based on user behaviors, enabling spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with lost hand mobility to pick and place objects.

The researchers developed a method based on an algorithm that predicts user intentions for wearable hand robots by using a first-personview camera. Their development is based on the hypothesis that user intentions can be inferred

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The goal of the robotic hand system is to enable wearers to conduct everyday tasks without additional commands. | Seoul National University BioRobotics Lab

through the collection of user arm behaviors and hand-object interactions.

The machine learning model used in this study — Vision-based Intention Detection network from an EgOcentric view (VIDEO-Net) — is designed based on this hypothesis. VIDEO-Net is composed of spatial and temporal sub-networks, where the temporal sub-network is to recognize user arm behaviors, and the spatial sub-network is to recognize handobject interactions.

An SCI patient wearing the soft wearable hand robot Exo-Glove Poly II successfully grasped various objects. The patient was able perform day-to-day DESIGN WORLD

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tasks, such as drinking coffee, without any additional help.

The SRRC team said its innovative system can detect user intentions without requiring any person-to-person calibrations or additional actions. This enables the wearable hand robot to interact with humans seamlessly.

The research was published in the January issue of Science Robotics. The research team explained more about the system.

How does this system work?

This technology aims to predict user intentions, specifically grasping and www.designworldonline.com

The research team at the Soft Robotics Research Center (SRRC) in Seoul has proposed a new intention-detection paradigm for soft wearable hand robots.

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The Robot Report releasing intent toward a target object, by utilizing a first-person-view camera mounted on glasses. Something like Google Glass could be used in the future.

VIDEO-Net, a deep learning-based algorithm, is devised to predict user intentions from the camera based on user arm behaviors and handobject interactions. With Vision, the environment and the human movement data is captured, which is used to train the machine-learning algorithm.

Instead of using bio-signals, which are often used for intention detection of disabled people, we use a simple camera to find out the intention of the user.

Whether the person is trying to grasp or not. This works because the target users are able to move their arm, but not their hands.

We can predict the user’s intention of grasping by observing the arm movement and the distance from the object and the hand, and interpreting the observation using machine learning.

Who can benefit from this technology?

This technology detects user intentions from human arm behaviors and handobject interactions. This technology can be used by any people with lost hand mobility, such as spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, or any other injuries, as long as they can move their arms voluntarily.

To use this technology in daily life, what do you need?

In order for this technology to be used in daily life, these devices are needed: a wearable hand robot with an actuation module, a computing device, and glasses with a camera mounted. We aim to decrease the size and weight of the computing device so that the robot can be portable.

So far, we could not find compact computing devices that fulfill our requirements, but we expect that neuromorphic chips that are able to perform deep learning computations will be commercially available. RR

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online

What are the limitations and future goals?

Most of the limitations come from the drawbacks of using a monocular camera.

For example, if a target object is occluded by another object, the performance of this technology decreases.

Also, if user hand gesture is not able to be seen in the camera scene, this technology is not usable. In order to overcome the lack of generality due to these, the algorithm needs to be improved by incorporating other sensor information or other existing intentiondetection methods, such as using an electromyography sensor or tracking eye gaze.

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Robotics Robotics

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Robotics Robotics

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Robotics Robotics

Mitsubishi Electric FR Series Next Generation, High Performance Industrial Robots Integrate Seamlessly with iQ Platform Controllers for Advanced Cooperative Functions “FA-IT Integration Functions” with the full line of Mitsubishi Electric FA products such as PLCs, motion controllers, VFDs, HMIs, and CNC, as well as MES/SCADA packages provide a level of performance, functionality and ease of use unparalleled in the industry. In addition, the open platform architecture OS enables integration with 3rd party devices normally difficult or impossible to use on closed platforms. With such flexibility, capability and performance, increases to both productivity and maintainability can be achieved, resulting in a lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).

• With an extensive selection of arm sizes, configurations, protection ratings,

Website: us.MitsubishiElectric.com/fa/en Address: 500 Corporate Woods Pkwy Vernon Hills, IL 60061 Phone: 847.478.2100

backed with “Next-Generation” features, and options, the MELFA FR-Series line of robots are ready to handle all of your automation needs. Vertically articulated, horizontally articulated SCARA, ceiling mounted horizontal type, and dual arm high precision for micro-assembly • Industry’s best initial warranty - 3 year on-site for most models

mk North America Enhance Your Automation with Pallet-Handling Conveyors Pallet-handling conveyors utilize pallets to transport workpieces asynchronously between stations. Pallets range in size from 10x10 inches to 48x48 inches, and are capable of carrying loads of nearly 1,000 lbs.

Pallet-handling Conveyor Benefits Are Delivered By: • Continuously moving materials from point to point • Handling every item in the same fashion with no variance • Removing production inefficiencies and wasteful delay by streamlining and standardizing the movement of material • Consistent material handling routines, ultimately reduces work in process and allows greater throughput

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• Eliminating bottlenecks and operations that require labor but, do not add value

Contact info: mk North America, Inc.

• Easily adapt to changing demands and production requirements

Website: www.mkversamove.com

• Efficiently handle changes to work flow by adding in new stops, locates or transfer components

Phone: 860.769.5500

August 2019 www.designworldonline.com

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Email: info@mknorthamerica.com

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New England Wire Technologies Advancing innovation for over 100 years Why accept a standard product for your custom application?

NEWT is committed to being the premier manufacturer of choice for customers requiring specialty wire, cable and extruded tubing to meet existing and emerging worldwide markets. Our custom products and solutions are not only engineered to the exacting specifications of our customers, but designed to perform under the harsh conditions of today’s advanced manufacturing processes. Cables we specialize in are LITZ, multi-conductor cables, hybrid configurations, coaxial, twin axial, miniature and micro-miniature coaxial cables, ultra flexible, high flex life, low/high temperature cables, braids, and a variety of proprietary cable designs. Contact us today and let us help you dream beyond today’s technology and achieve the impossible.

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NEW ENGLAND WIRE T E C H N O LO G I E S

Contact info: New England Wire Technologies www.newenglandwire.com 603.838.6624

SICK, Inc. Motor/Position Feedback Encoder with SIL2 Safety Certification for Robots Robot manufacturers are moving to direct drive motors to eliminate costly gear reduction mechanisms. SICK’s SES/SEM motor/position feedback encoder gives accurate position feedback for direct drive motors, providing backlash-free motor integration. Certified in accordance with IEC 61508 for safe motion control, the SES/SEM retains safe operation in human-robot collaborations without sacrificing efficiency or productivity.

Your benefits • Increased reliability and uptime from battery-free absolute position retention • Accurate position feedback up to 8,500 RPM to accommodate high-speed operation • Bearing-free mechanical design provides longer encoder lifecycle • Easy installation with no special mounting tools required • Commonly used HIPERFACE interface ensures robust communication with most drive manufacturers

www.designworldonline.com

SICK, Inc. 6900 West 110th St. Minneapolis, MN 55438 USA www.sick.com info@sick.com

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