Hyundai develops wearable exoskeleton to aid overhead work

Hyundai Motor Group has developed a new Vest EXoskeleton (VEX), a wearable robot created to assist industrial workers who spend long hours working in overhead environments.

The VEX enhances productivity and reduces fatigue of industrial workers by imitating the movement of human joints to boost load support and mobility. The wearable vest combines multiple pivot points with a multi-link muscular assistance to function, eliminating the need for a battery.

At 2.5kg, VEX weighs up to 42% less than competing products and is worn like a backpack. The back section can adjust in length by up to 18cm to fit a variety of body sizes, while the degree of force assistance can be adjusted over six different levels to deliver as much as 5.5kg of assisting force. 

The newly-developed VEX is targeted at production-line workers whose job is primarily overhead, such as those bolting the underside of vehicles, fitting brake tubes, and attaching exhausts. The development of the VEX included a pilot program in two Hyundai Motor Group plants in the U.S.A. The trial was widely successful in assisting workers and boosting productivity and both plants have incorporated the VEX systems in their production lines. 

The Hyundai Group is still considering implementing the VEX in its plants around the world. It is expected to go into commercial production in December by Hyundai Rotem and is projected to cost as much as 30% lower than existing products.