SARCOS GROUP LC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: A90-364

Description

Logistics and combat support personnel must perform physically demanding operations that often involve lifting and manipulating heavy objects in environments that are often complex and austere. The availability of a lightweight, robust, wearable exoskeleton tailored to augment the ability of its user to efficiently and safely lift, push/pull, transport and manipulate loads while operating in environments where human work has the potential not only to enhance productivity and pace of operations, but also reduce the risks and incidence of debilitating musculoskeletal injuries. In this effort a new class of logistics support capable, wearable exoskeleton robots, that exploit quasi-passive actuation technology to augment human performance, while using very low power, will be developed, tested and demonstrated. The new exoskeleton - XO-Lite will recruit its quasi-passive actuators to partially compensate for the weight of the load being lifted while allowing the operator to move naturally.