Exoskeleton with your own hands. How to make an exoskeleton stalker

The exoskeleton is called the outer frame, which allows a person to perform truly fantastic actions: lifting weights, flying, running at great speed, making giant jumps, and so on. And if you think that only the main characters of "Iron Man" or "Avatar" possess such devices, then you are deeply mistaken. They are available to humanity since the 60's. last century; Moreover, you can learn how to assemble an exoskeleton with your own hands! However, about everything in order.

Exoskeletus: acquaintance

Today you can quite buy yourself an exoskeleton - similar products are produced by Ekso Bionics and Hybrid Assistive Limb (Japan), Indego (USA), ReWalk (Israel). But only if you have an extra 75-120 thousand euros. In Russia, only medical exoskeletons are produced so far. They are designed and manufactured by Exoatlet.

The first exoskeleton was made by scientists from the corporations General Electric and United States Military in the sixties of the last century. It was called Hardiman and could freely lift into the air a load of exactly 110 kg. Putting this device on, the person in the process was under stress, as when lifting 4.5 kg! Only here Hardiman itself weighed all 680 kg. Because it was not in great demand.

All exoskeletons are divided into three types:

• Fully robotic;

• for hands;

• for legs.

Modern robokostyumy weigh from 5 to 30 and above kg. They are both active and passive (working only on the command of the operator). For the purpose of exoskeletons are divided into military, medical, industrial and space. Let's consider the most remarkable of them.

The most impressive exoskeletons of our time

To collect such exoskeletons with their own hands at home in the near future, of course, will not work, but it's worth to get acquainted with them:

• DM (Dream machine) . It is a fully automatic hydraulic exoskeleton, which is controlled by the voice of its operator. The device weighs 21 kg and is able to withstand a person weighing up to a centner. It is currently used for the rehabilitation of patients who can not walk due to diseases of the central nervous system or other neuromuscular diseases. The approximate cost is 7 million rubles.
• Ekso GT . The mission of this exoskeleton is the same as that of the previous one - it helps people with pathology of motor leg functions. The characteristics are similar to the previous one, the price is 7.5 million rubles.
• ReWalk . Called again to give motion to people with paralysis of the lower extremities. The device weighs 25 kg and can work without recharging for 3 hours. Exoskeleton is available in Europe and the United States in an amount equivalent to 3.5 million rubles.
• REX . Today, this device can be bought in Russia for 9 million rubles. Exoskeleton gives people with leg paralysis not only independent walking, but also the opportunity to get up / sit down, turn around, go "moon walk", go down the stairs, etc. REX is controlled by a joystick, it can function without recharging all day.
• HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) . There are two options - for hands and for hands / feet / torso. This invention allows an operator to lift a weight 5 times heavier than the limit for a person. It is also used for the rehabilitation of paralyzed people. This exoskeleton weighs only 12 kg, and its charge is enough for 1.0-1.5 h.

How to make an exoskeleton by yourself: James Hacksmith Hobson

The first and so far the only person who managed to design an exoskeleton in a non-laboratory environment is the Canadian engineer James Hobson. The inventor assembled a device that allows him to freely lift into the air 78 kilogram slag blocks. His exoskeleton works on pneumatic cylinders, which supplies the compressor with energy, and the device is controlled by a remote control.

The Canadian does not keep his invention a secret. How to build an exoskeleton with your own hands by his example, you can find out on the engineer's website and on his channel on "Youtube." However, note that the weight of the weight lifted by such an exoskeleton lies solely on the operator's backbone.

Exoskeleton with own hands: an approximate scheme

A detailed instruction that allows you to easily assemble an exoskeleton at home is not. However, it is clear that he will need:

• Frame, characterized by strength and mobility;
• Hydraulic pistons;
• Altitude chambers;
• Vacuum pumps;
• source of power;
• Strong tubes capable of withstanding high pressures;
• Computer for management;
• Sensors;
• Software that allows you to send and convert information from sensors for the proper operation of valves.

How this composition will work:

1. One pump should increase the pressure in the system, the other - reduce.
2. The operation of the valves depends on the pressure in the pressure chambers, the raising / lowering of which will control the system.
3. The location of the sensors (against the movement of the limbs): six - hands, four - back, three - legs, two feet (more than 30).
4. Computer software should eliminate pressure on the sensors.
5. Sensor signals need to be divided into conditional ones (information from them is useful if the unconditional sensor does not "talk" about the pressure it tests) and unconditional ones. The conditional / unconditional nature of these elements can be determined, for example, by an accelerometer.
6. The arms of the exoskeleton are three-fingered, separated from the operator's wrists, in order to avoid injuries and give extra strength.
7. The power supply is selected after the assembly and trial approbation of the exoskeleton.

Robotic suits, so far only in the field of rehabilitation, are already beginning to enter our lives. Appeared inventors are able to build such a device outside the laboratory. It is possible that in the near future any schoolboy will be able to assemble the exoskeleton Stalker himself. You can already predict that beyond such systems - the future.