Bionic Legs Bring You One Step Closer to Robocop
Those wacky kids over at MIT’s Biomechatronics Group have begun to test a product that transfers the weight of a backpack directly into the ground. It’s called exoskeleton and it takes up to 80% of the packs weight straight into the ground and off your back.
First uses are for soldiers in the field but the developer of the device hopes that everyone might get their hands on them to run faster without losing their breath, carry heavy loads and say things like “Dead or alive, you’re coming with me…” Ok, so maybe that last one is looking a bit too far in the future. But even Robocop had to start somewhere.
The wearer of the exoskeleton has boots attached to springs and a series of tubes that eventually plug into a power source fueled currently by gasoline. At the moment the design is not ready for further testing. The team is going to be working diligently on mimicking the real movement of the human leg for a normal and relaxed feel while rehashing the design to consume less energy.
Keep your eyes out for these bad boys at the Olympics of 2060.
[Physorg]
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Fran Danben said
am September 21 2007 @ 9:36 am
My husband has lost the use of one of his legs overseas. The Navy should pick up this technology to give back to the people who fought for their country.
Jerad Kaliher said
am September 21 2007 @ 11:54 pm
@Fran Danben, I’m really sorry to hear that and I hope that they are able to push this technology out into the field as soon as possible.
Drew Smith said
am September 22 2007 @ 9:28 am
A member of my family is a double amputee. While her ability to move around with the aid of standard artificial legs has afforded her both mobility and spared her from negative social stigma, it is her weight which has become the predominant health issue due to her inability to move much faster than walking-speed comfortably. This means she cannot exercise for a long enough period of time to reduce the weight, which causes considerable pain in her knee and hip joints. The older she gets, the harder it is to exercise and the more this weight problem affects her.
She’s always talking about how beneficial an artificial leg that “held on” to her and put more spring in her step would be. We’ve all seen images of amputee sprinters, utilizing a curved carbon fiber system as a substitute for the missing limb, however it’s clear that one cannot wear this model in public without drawing attention to oneself.
I imagine you see where I’m going with this..
A system which would support her frame, taking weight off of her lower extremities and transferred it into the ground, would be unimaginably beneficial. Her entire quality of life would change and perhaps some of the ailments which have affected her as she’s gotten older, those due to her excess weight (i.e. high blood-pressure), would now be dealt with via exercise and healthy living, and supplement her dependence on drugs and sedentary living.
Jerad Kaliher said
am September 22 2007 @ 9:30 pm
@Drew Smith, wow – I never knew that. I guess when technology actually gets to where it needs to be you can finally rest assured that she would have the support she needs to sustain her life. Unfortunately this is just a prototype and it’s going to be a few years before a working model is going to be out in the general market.
By the way, I think you should write… you’re good at it.