Wearable robot boosts strength with rubber air tube ‘muscles’

Activelink Co., a subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., has developed the basic structure for a wearable robot that uses pneumatically driven tubes to boost the physical power of the wearer. The prototype has sections that fit on the shoulders, chest, thighs and ankles. A total of 50 rubber tubes are made to expand and contract with an air compressor, serving like muscles to supplement the wearer’s strength. When the wearer of the prototype presses a button on the chest, the tubes add enough muscle power to lift an additional 20 kg.

The prototype is only able to execute preprogrammed movements for specific tasks, such as lifting a person. Activelink now plans to incorporate sensors that make the robot quickly respond to the muscle movements of the wearer. A control system for that is now being developed with a team of engineers led by Osaka University Prof. Masao Ikeda.

Meanwhile, another Matsushita subsidiary is collaborating in the development of a compact air compressor that can fit on the wearable robot.

The company aims to complete the development of the major components in fiscal 2006 that can accommodate a variety of motoions. Pricing and sales routes still need to be considered, but Activelink sees the machine being used by workers to lift heavy loads, and to help gofers correct their swings.

Source: Science & Technology Report for JAPAN

Dated: September 2004.