Navy Tests Unpowered Exoskeleton 79
gurps_npc (621217) writes "CNN has a very interesting article about an unpowered exoskeleton system called Fortis. Unlike the more famous TALOS system, this exoskeleton uses zero electricity, so it does not need batteries or an extension cord. Power requirements have always been the problem with powered exoskeletons, as batteries are heavy. The system is made out of lightweight aluminum and heavy tools connect directly to it. The weight of the tools is supported by the exoskeleton, so your arms, back and legs don't have to carry it. You only need to use muscle to move the tool, not simply carry it. The exoskeleton does not make you stronger. Instead it effectively increases your stamina by relieving fatigue caused by carrying the heavy tool.
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You should tell him you need a rest.
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Speaking of which, you really should return that to John Holmes' casket.
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what makes you think he took all of John Holmes?
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I can vouch for how exhausting it is to carry around a heavier tool.
Carrying around this huge penis can be exhausting.
I think you misunderstood. People were telling you that you are a big dick, not that you have a big dick. Same thing when they called you a massive tool. You'd probably have understood the metaphorical meanings if you weren't so dense.
Balance (Score:2, Interesting)
Sounds interesting, but I'd be concerned about keeping balance while carrying dangerous equipment; the body's micro-adjustments would surely be diluted by the external weight, sort of like being on stilts.
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how does this work at all? (Score:4, Interesting)
How does this work. They show a guy with a grinder mvong it around on a wall up near his head. Now how did he get into that position and how is he able to move the grinder around. If all the joints are loose then they offer no support. If they are tight then he can't move. And if he selectively locks the myriad number of joind it will be a confusing puzzle to get the the right set locked to support weight along some axis but not others. Does this mean all grinding must be back and forth and not up and down? if you are grinding along a verical edge how do you avoid repeately lifting this.You would be lifting both the weight of the grinder and the weight of the fortis frame every time.
the frame looks heavy including a cantaleivered weight in the back. SO it seems like its adding a lot of weight. How does it manage to carry it's own weight as you move. Or are you repeately lifting this when you bend over or walk somewhere.?
very puzzling how this works
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It looks like a spring loaded swing arm that supports the bulk of the weight of the tool [these are already made to be mounted to work benches] connected to a harness only with a brace like structure that allows the wearer to shift the weight from their back and waist to rest on the ground.
Alternatively they could put the the swing arm on casters with an adjustable base and just roll it around.
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Part of it looks like weight distribution and load balancing across the body. Weight lifter and back packers have learned long ago that managing heavy loads can be about distribution of the load and balancing (which is why I still think free weights are more effective as they rely on more muscles to control and balance the load). Then it looks like it might provide more leverage in some cases. Not a bad "low tech" approach.
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Just watch 'Predator' how the guy uses the minigun.
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http://www.actionmoviefreak.co... [actionmoviefreak.com]
Synonymage (Score:2)
The supreme court is happy to officially oblige: "NOT carrying"
They also offer equally functional replacements for "keep", "shall not infringe", "shall make no law", "No law shall be passed", and "interstate commerce."
No need to thank me, happy to help you out.
Snipers love it (Score:3, Interesting)
A friend of mine worked as a mercenary in Bosnia and he is a sniper.
He said anyone carrying heavy equipment is a priority. Looks like you
put that thing on someone up on that hill already has a bullet chambered
with your name on it.
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This is meant to be used inside bases. How many Americans have been killed by snipers while inside their bases recently?
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Do we count Fort Hood or not?
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Apparently you don't know what a "sniper" is.
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Do we count Fort Hood or not?
Nidal Hasan and Ivan Lopez were not snipers, so, sure go ahead and count Fort Hood...
Re:Snipers love it (Score:4, Insightful)
This is meant to be used inside bases. How many Americans have been killed by snipers while inside their bases recently?
Even more specifically, it seems ideal for someone working in/on the hull of a Navy ship where heavy welding, cutting/grinding, and riveting equipment is common. They tend not to build navy ships in conflict areas, and it seems like a very impractical device for combat zone use unless the weight it was intended for was body armor, making the sniper point moot yet again.
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I could see it being useful to load munitions at a combat base. But our bases have proven to be quite safe.
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Maintenance on armored vehicles and heavy, 6-by type, trucks also come to mind. Possibly some construction engineering work.
That's a pretty smart desing (Score:4, Interesting)
I like it. I would have loved to have something like that back when I hung drywall.
That counterbalance looks dangerous (Score:3)
I suppose this is for naval shipyards and the like?
That current counterbalance has got to go though. It's dangerous to both the wearer and people around him.
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its so that co-workers don't sneak up behind you when you're working.
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TFA looks very much like a prototype to me. I would imagine that production units would have a slicker way of adjusting the counter weight. But yeah, that thing looks like it would be in way all of the time, especially in the narrow confines of a ship's interior.
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Just use depleted uranium, and the counterbalance could be smaller.
Re:That counterbalance looks dangerous (Score:4, Funny)
Looks familiar... (Score:5, Insightful)
Conceptually, it seems similar to the kinds of rigs the movie industry uses to support cameras. I'm a bit surprised they haven't done this sooner considering I don't see anything here that's particularly exotic.
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The arm you see is already in use, and yes, it operates on the same principle as the steady-cam rig. Steadicam transfers all the weight to the hips which protects the operator's spine and to aid dexterity by reducing the load on the arm muscles, but the legs still have to carry the weight (most steadicam operators are shadowed by a colleague and as soon as the director shouts "cut", the colleague takes the camera off them and puts it down for them). The logical next step was to built a structure that transf
This is more practical than battery-powered. (Score:2)
I would like to see a locking hydraulics/pneumatics system in place, though. Since there is no power, using leverage is only going to get you so far until you tire. You will still tire wearing this, despite the design to make it easy(ish) to move around while wearing it and making it easier to move heavier loads.
This way, when you get tired of holding your hands above your head to keep some drywall in place, you can literally let go inside the suit, and relax your arms, and the suit will remain upright-exte
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Well, the goal is for jobs where you're not moving much (because it's worse to move the thing), but where you're carrying a heavy tool constantly. Perhaps you're using a heavy saw to cut into metal,
Steadicam (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Steadicam (Score:5, Insightful)
The value of slight changes can be VERY significant.
Think of the first guy to ever rifle a long gun. Long guns had grooves before, they were just not consistent. Making those grooves consistent and using ammo that expanded just enough to catch them made a HUGE difference.
The linkage to transfer the weight to the ground is just such a huge improvement. They had to design it special so that it bore the weight, but still let your heels touch the ground.
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A spring loaded linkage connects the load to a body harness, but with added linkages that can transfer the weight of the harness to the ground.
Nothing in the article says that the arm is innovative. The arm is a product that has been available for some time. The "added linkages that can transfer the weight of the harness to the ground" is the product. It's an idea that people have been trying for for decades, and now finally they can make the structure stable and usable. That's the news. Saying this is nothing new is like saying the moon landings were nothing new because people had already been up in space, and landing on the moon was just "adding
Rush Limbaugh is a heavy tool (Score:1)
that is all
This is a brilliant idea (Score:3)
Speaking as ... (Score:3)
the exoskeleton is able to support tools of up to 36 pounds
36 pounds? You kids need to get in shape. And stay off my lawn, lightweights!
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Holding a 36 pound tool at arm's length is gonna tire even you out, grandpa.
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Hold 36 pounds out in front of you like that for 2 minutes and let me know how that works out for you
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about 17 kilos
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How much is 36 pounds in ISU?
Whether it's Indiana State University, Iowa State University, or Illinois State University, it will still be 36 pounds.
Yep (Score:2)
Instead it effectively increases your stamina by relieving fatigue caused by carrying the heavy tool.
Could solve a problem that guys like myself have to live with.
My Roller Skates are Cheaper! (Score:2)
Minimal effort to move me and my backpack full of whatever.
The tool is my penis. (Score:2)
"Instead it effectively increases your stamina by relieving fatigue caused by carrying the heavy tool."
Can the operator walk? (Score:1)
If they want to talk about this as an exoskeleton, they need to show someone walking with a load. Otherwise, this is just a mobile platform for the Equipois ZeroG [equipoisinc.com] arm which is basically a steadycam mount for industrial equipment.
Specifically, I understand that the frame transfers the weight of the rig to the ground (rather than to a chest harness in a traditional steadycam), but unless they show the device dynamically transfering the weight from hip to hip so the wearer can walk without bearing the load, it
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It holds up to 36 pounds - most people in the navy can probably walk while holding 36 pounds.
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No, which is why they have this exoskeleton.
(If it's not clear, I think the device is promising and makes a lot of sense.)
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If they want to talk about this as an exoskeleton, they need to show someone walking with a load. Otherwise, this is just a mobile platform for the Equipois ZeroG [equipoisinc.com] arm which is basically a steadycam mount for industrial equipment.
Well... yes, that's basically what it is. But it is still an exoskeleton, as it has solid load-bearing elements outside of the body. I'd love to see a video myself, but I also trust a company like Lockheed Martin when they say it is designed for mobility. The tech has existed to create semi-mobile ones for a looong time now, but it's never been an attractive proposition. People have been working on this stuff for decades, so I'd say that they've probably done most of what they claim.
Popeye... (Score:2)
Hardest hit.
Sure, but... (Score:2)
Why Navy? (Score:2)
Army could use this easier... Dual wielding 50cal machine guns and ammo cans mounted on back turn a single guy into a weapons platform that throws 600 rounds a minute at the enemy and can do it all day long.
Although I'd rather see one 50 cal machine gun and then a belt fed 20mm canon with Explosive rounds, or a pair of 40mm fully automatic grenade launchers... One man shock and awe is what is needed on today's battlefield.
Been waiting for this (Score:2)
"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam,"
Good idea (Score:2)
A bit like a good backpack that helps you to carry most of the weight on your hips instead of on your shoulders which frees your upper body from most of the loads (instead of projecting it from your shoulders through your backbone to your hips through your legs to your feet). Extending this to actually support the weight by an exoskeleton right down to the shoes with no need to have the load go through your legs is just logical. It's just a matter of designing and engineering well-fitting, lightweight suppo
I know it's not cool to Read The Fine Article, but (Score:2)
Quoting from the article:
the exoskeleton is able to support tools of up to 36 pounds
The anodized aluminum and carbon fiber skeleton weighs 30 pounds
So let me get this straight: you design a 30 pound device to carry 36 pounds? So someone will lug around 66 extra pounds all day and will not get tired?
aluminum (Score:1)