The dream of using powered mechanics to increase the strength of human operators is finally marching forward.
Exoskeletons have been trapped inside science fiction for decades,
despite a few real-world prototypes emerging from time to time since the
early 1960s. This article posits that the time hasn't been right for
exoskeletons - until now, with the convergence of two main triggers:
needed technologies have advanced, and the social environment favors it.
The specific triggers? Lightweight, portable batteries for storage
power, and an aging workforce that can use the extra assist in
repetitive, heavy-load tasks. Here's a look at some projects moving
forward, fast.
The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Mechanical Components, a
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