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Italian Researchers Demonstrate 'Powerloader' Suit

Posted by Soulskill on from the training-provided-by-sigourney-weaver dept.

Sockatume writes "Researchers in Italy have demonstrated a powered exoskeleton that can lift 50kg with each hand, as demonstrated in a video with the BBC. The 'body extender' from the Perceptual Robotics Laboratory of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa has been developed for applications like disaster relief, and is just one of many strength-augmenting systems being developed for use in rescue, military, and medical applications. Neither the researchers nor the BBC make the comparison to the Powerloader in the movie Aliens — but come on, look at it."

18 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. How long before these are everywhere? by darkfuture · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Soon every construction site will have several of these. Imagine how this will change the building construction industry!
    Next we will see 20 foot high version.

    1. Re:How long before these are everywhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In Finland.... Not likely much, as the equilevant amount of Estonian workers (~20 required to lift 100kg) will be cheaper!

      Just saying!

    2. Re:How long before these are everywhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      As an Estonian who has seen building activity, I can shed some light on how you need only 20 guys to lift that 100 kg. ;P

      2 bosses to negotiate the subcontracting and sip coffee at the site
      2 guys to bring everyone coffee and sandwiches
      6 guys with binoculars and radios to watch out for inspectors
      4 guys to run the used car business on the construction site
      4 guys to run the gravel and cement business on the site
      2 guys to lift 100 kg ;P

      Voila. ;P

  2. only 50Kg? by SuperDre · · Score: 3, Interesting

    what? a suit like that and only able to lift 50Kg per hand? Wonder when we'll actually see a real powerlifter like the one in Aliens, it shouldn't be hard to do a real one..

    1. Re:only 50Kg? by Gaygirlie · · Score: 2

      Considering their size, all the heavy-duty supports in them and the fact that they're mostly used in cargo-bays one could assume that they're designed to lift at least a weight of one ton. Remembering the movie they were also surprisingly fast and nimble, but with totally rigid feet -- I can't remember there being anything the sort of toe-like structures or bend in the feet -- so they'd suit poorly for any sort of outdoors/rescue/whatnot missions, but could support heavy loads. It's all just guess-work, though, about a fictional exoskeleton :)

    2. Re:only 50Kg? by TubeSteak · · Score: 2

      what? a suit like that and only able to lift 50Kg per hand?

      Strength, versatility, low cost.
      Pick 2.

      Requiring the hardware to conform to a human range of motion imposes serious constraints on what the designers can do.
      If the arms only have to move in the Y-axis, they could be engineered to lift much heavier loads.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    3. Re:only 50Kg? by Sockatume · · Score: 2

      The Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual suggests about 4 metric tonnes. Of course the same book concluded that the thing's not much more useful than an actual forklift. ;)

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    4. Re:only 50Kg? by scarboni888 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah well that was written before the Queen was thrown out of the airlock, okay?

    5. Re:only 50Kg? by LoRdTAW · · Score: 3, Interesting

      50kg is still pretty damn heavy. Even a bodybuilder who lifts weights could not hold 50kg in each hand with their farm fully extended for more than a few seconds. You can't compare it to a forklift as forklifts simply lift things up and down. They can't easily lift things into place or position them at awkward angles. This suit can.

      But forklifts can lift a whole lot of weight for their size. The little lift at my work lifts 3000lbs/1360kg and weighs about twice that to counterbalance the load. Smaller, short wheel base forklifts are counterbalanced using large a large weight at the rear. Think about it, you have 1000kg on the forks and moving at around 8-10kmh and you suddenly need to stop. With equal balance the lift would tip forward. So the heavy as hell counterweight makes sure that doesn't happen as the weight behind the mast is way more then what is on the mast. If you look at the rear of any lift it looks like a thick chunk of steel and it pretty much is. I bought an old 4000 lb/1814 kg capacity Clark Y40 for scrap value and towed it home on a 5 ton trailer. Man that thing was H-E-A-V-Y, 7000 lbs/3175 kg heavy, I thought I was going to blow the tranny in my 1 ton van. The frame consists of two 30-35mm steel plates that make up the side of the body, a large cross plate and a counterweight at the rear. Everything else just bolts to that huge mass.

      So now that you have a good idea as to how stupid heavy forklifts are, the 100 kg lift capacity of a man sized suit appears much more sane for manipulating loads with precision and dexterity in a space constrained area. They are targeting the use for search and rescue but I would imagine such a suit could be used for any number of tasks which require one to repeatedly lift and maneuver heavy objects.

    6. Re:only 50Kg? by Comrade+Ogilvy · · Score: 2

      Bipedalism is a completely terrible starting point from which to build a machine for heavy lifting, most especially on less than sturdy/clean footing.

  3. Looks great by felipou · · Score: 2

    So, how long until Iron Man, now?

    1. Re:Looks great by peragrin · · Score: 3, Informative

      a very long time.

      The power suit isn't the issue.

      power is the issue. there still isn't a decent way to power the thing without cables.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
  4. Add lead shields, go to Fukushima by advid.net · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If the onboard electronic is rugged for arsh environments, adding some lead plates may be an idea to approach some areas in Fukushima plant.

  5. meanwhile in Italy by bonizzem · · Score: 2

    no one is writing about it and we have to read it on bbc news. sad

  6. 50 kg? by gatzke · · Score: 2

    Dude, do you even lift?

  7. Re:Did you bother thinking? by r1348 · · Score: 2

    Italy is an earthquake zone and this would work great for freeing people trapped under rubble, of course it's only a prototype, nobody is sending that on the field now, but there was also a point in history when horses were cheaper, faster and more efficient than cars, so you get my point.

    About the power generator: cables can run pretty long.

  8. Lets see you do it then by Viol8 · · Score: 2

    Even olympic powerlifters would struggle trying to hold 50kg in one hand at arms length for long , if at all, so don't sneer. Its a prototype - once they've got the design details sorted I'm sure they'll ramp up the torque.

    1. Re:Lets see you do it then by rmdingler · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Too much torque in the experimental stage could lead to a grisly accident like the wearer's arm being ripped out of socket.

      These force multipliers seem like cool accessories, but the manned robot will likely present too many restrictions in efficacy.

      Look for this to go the way of manned space missions, at least for the foreseeable future. Cameras and remote operation, walker drones if you will, seem much more practical.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway