The development of exoskeletons is one of the leading areas of engineering, which is actively developing around the world. Domestic specialists are also keeping up with foreign specialists. However, if before that, most such developments were associated with large scientific centers like Skolkovo, then just a few days ago a student from the Northern Capital presented a workable prototype exoskeleton. His brainchild is already able to help a person easily lift almost a hundred kilograms, but these figures are only the beginning.
Exoskeletons have long ceased to be something fantastic. /Photo: futurum.today
The exoskeleton was designed by Alexei Ledyukov, a third-year student at St. Petersburg's ITMO University, together with several of his hobby colleagues. The young inventor says that he first tried to create something similar back in eighth grade: it all started with paper models, which were used to weld frames of wire in the garage. But the current modification of the exoskeleton called Auxilium cannot be called child's play at all.
The young developer is testing his brainchild himself. /Photo: sobaka.ru
The author says the following about the construction and operation of his creation: "It responds to my movements. That is, it is located on the body resistive pressure sensors. When the hand moves they read a vector of movement and speed, send it all to the microcontroller and then to the drive. Its main function is lifting weights: the current working prototype can lift about 80 kilograms. In addition, the operator inside the suit can easily jump, run, and even squat in it.
Part of the exoskeleton parts are printed on a 3D printer. / Photo: megapolisonline.ru
With all the external weight, exoskeleton is not very heavy, thanks to the use of plastic parts, which were printed on a 3D printer. In addition, the developers spent almost a year trying to make the ergonomics of the suit as good as possible. The current version is quite autonomous: it can work from 40 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the load and the nature of the movements performed by the operator. Another indisputable plus of this exoskeleton is its economic benefit: running on pneumatics, it is almost seven times cheaper than its electric counterpart: 1.5 million rubles versus 10 million.
Layout and working prototype of an exoskeleton. /Photo: news.itmo.ru
However, the third-year student of the Control Systems and Robotics Department of ITMO University, Alexey Ledyukov, a member of the Laboratory of Biomechatronics and Energy-Efficient Robotics, and his team are not going to stop there. Already now they are assembling new models: in particular, they will be built from more technologically advanced materials - using two-component plastic reinforced with carbon fiber. Besides, developers plan to increase suit's mobility and its indicators on maximum weight lifting.
Mock-up of the developed passive exoskeleton. /Photo: popmech.ru
However, even today, the developers, of which there are currently seven, identify possible areas for the use of their offspring. For example, passive exoskeletons, the work on which is already in full swing, will be used in airsoft, as well as make them semi-active hiking suits with variable stiffness drive. And the main, more massive version Alexei Ledyukov would like to adapt to be able to work in them employees of the Emergency Control Ministry - then his project will literally serve the people. The team plans to start small-scale production of exoskeletons by the summer of 2022.
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