An exoskeleton is worn directly on the body. It relieves the musculoskeletal system with power support. Now the power suits are also to be used in the healthcare sector.
The working conditions in certain nursing professions are to be improved in the future through the use of robotic suits, so-called exoskeletons. The robotics company German Bionic has now announced the first active exoskeleton specifically for use in care in Berlin. The system that people wear on their bodies is intended to provide support when lifting and thus protect against overload and injuries.
So far, the power suits have mainly been used to lift and move heavy objects in industry, trade, in logistics companies or for sorting luggage at airports. The Bundeswehr is also currently testing the use of exoskeletons to refuel aircraft at the air base in Wunstorf, Lower Saxony.
With exoskeletons, a distinction is made between passive and active systems. Systems in the industrial environment mostly work passively. They have springs or expanders that are under mechanical tension and release their energy again with certain postures. However, the new system from German Bionic is an active system that is electrically operated.
High physical stress in care
The start-up from Augsburg and Berlin had already received the “Best of Innovation” award for its exoskeleton called “Cray X” at the world’s largest electronics trade fair CES in Las Vegas in January. The new device “Apogee+” for the care sector is to be presented to the public for the first time in mid-June at the VivaTech 2023 trade fair in Paris. The innovative power suit should help to make the sometimes very stressful working conditions in these system-critical professions easier and to make them healthier and more sustainable, said Armin G. Schmidt, boss and founder of German Bionic. “We are convinced that the smart companions will soon be part of everyday life in clinics and nursing homes.”
Working in hospitals and care facilities is associated with high physical stress for many caregivers, which can lead to early retirement, said Schmidt. The new power suit was specially developed to support nursing staff in their everyday work. The exoskeleton also meets specific requirements for the healthcare sector. For example, it can be easily disinfected and has handles for the patients.
German Bionic has its headquarters in Germany and the USA, with offices in Berlin, Boston, Augsburg and Tokyo. The company currently employs almost 100 people.
Nursing exoskeleton from German Bionic PM Bundeswehr for the use of exoskeletons
Source: Stern
