Powered suit ahead of commercial shipment

Sarcos Robotics will start commercial shipping of powered suits from January 2020.

Sakos Robotics has developed a powered suit called Guardian XO. This powered suit is being shipped commercially. If you look at the video, the 57kg fixture is lifted almost without load. It is said that the actual human weight is only a few kg. The Guardian XO weighs 68kg and is self-supporting like a humanoid robot.

The Guardian XO can easily control its output using a control panel located on the left wrist. It is said that with this powered suit, a person can lightly lift a load of 90kg, and the load felt is only about 4.5kg. In addition, the end of the arm can be changed according to the purpose, so you can use a hook to lift luggage such as a bag.

In general, self-supporting robots require high-performance sensors, devices, and software to balance when walking. However, the Guardian XO synchronizes with human movements and moves almost without time lag, allowing the wearer to balance itself. Therefore, he said there was no need to develop a special program to support the Guardian XO.

The Guardian XO is powered by two 5.4kg 500W batteries. When the battery is fully charged, it can be used continuously for 2 hours. The battery is interchangeable, so it can be replaced every two hours. Energy efficiency improvement is essential for commercial shipments, but being able to move the 500W battery powered suit is one of the most important innovations.

It only takes seconds to unplug the Guardian XO, and new users can start working in minutes. It takes 1 to 2 hours to work comfortably, but the first time you use it is a heavy object, but you may be embarrassed that you don’t have any senses. The load on the body is small, but it means holding an object close to 100kg, so when moving or stopping, feeling the inertia of the object can be embarrassing.

The manufacturer’s top priority is the safety of Guardian XO. When all joints move, the speed is limited. Therefore, it is not possible to punch or kick using the body reinforced by a powered suit. It is said that there is no risk of bending the powered suit joint by bending it in the wrong direction as it is designed not to exceed the range possible for humans.

Sakos Robotics explains that humans can strengthen intelligence and judgment by adding the power and durability of robots. The Guardian XO focuses on increasing the productivity of certain workers and making dangerous tasks safer than ever. What this powered suit helps with is the type of lifting heavy objects over and over, and these tasks are difficult to automate, or at least not automated in terms of cost-effectiveness. In addition, such labor may place a high load on the human body, resulting in muscle and joint damage, shortening the period of time for workers to engage in work, and putting a semi-permanent medical burden. Guardian XO improves worker productivity and reduces the burden on the human body, allowing skilled workers to safely engage in the job for long periods of time.

Of course, when companies adopt Guardian XO, they have to convince them that they are attractive in terms of cost. According to Sakos Robotics, Guardian XO can increase productivity by 4 to 10 times compared to the previous one by suppressing the decrease in productivity due to fatigue by lifting the weight of 100 kg. Guardian XO can be used in height is limited to 162-180cm. However, through future improvements, 90% of American workers will be able to equip Guardian XOs.

Guardian XO will begin commercial shipments of its initial units in January 2020. The first customers are the heavy industry and the US military. As a rental method, the annual cost is 100,000 dollars per unit, and it is intended for companies that can rent at least 10 units in large quantities, and a professional engineer will also be dispatched. Related information can be found here .