We are used to the idea that robots build our cars, but there was once a fear that production lines would be fully automated, rendering human workers obsolete. Turns out that robots and people make pretty good teams in terms of car making. Hyundai have taken this one step further, developing a robot exoskeleton for assembly line workers.
Hyundai has won an award for building a wearable robot – FOS Future Lab
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The company’s Vest Exoskeleton (VEX) is worn like a backpack with shoulder, chest and waist belts and an adjustable carbon-fibre ‘spine’. Through a combination of linkages and pivots it supports and boosts the movements of assembly line workers who have a lot of overhead tasks such as bolting up exhaust systems.
Operating without batteries it increases the force of the wearer by up to 5.5kgf and was successfully tested in Hyundai’s US factories last year. It has now received a Red Dot Design Award at the eponymous international design competition. The company is also working on an accompanying assistance robot, the Chairless Exoskeleton (CEX) which allows workers to comfortably maintain a sitting position without a chair, reducing fatigue and lower back pressure.
One question remains: will there VEX N?
Welcome to FOS Future Lab where we report on the latest visions of future technology. We'll be boldly covering flying cars, hoverboards, jetpacks and spaceships with plenty of down to earth topics in between.
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