- Hyundai Motor and Kia unveil wearable robotic ‘X-ble Shoulder’ to spice up industrial effectivity and scale back musculoskeletal accidents
- The wearable robotic is designed to help with overhead work by enhancing higher arm muscle energy and is anticipated to seek out use in varied industries
- The robust but light-weight X-ble Shoulder enhances employee consolation by lowering shoulder load by 60% and muscle exercise by 30%
- Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB additionally introduced a commercialization plan for X-ble Shoulder, with deliveries anticipated to start within the first half of 2025
Hyundai Motor Firm and Kia Company have unveiled a dependable companion for industrial work, the wearable robotic ‘X-ble Shoulder.’ This system, simply by being worn, can improve staff’ effectivity and scale back musculoskeletal accidents. Two movies launched on Hyundai Motor Group’s YouTube channel present the X-ble Shoulder in motion, together with product options and the improvement story.
Hyundai Motor and Kia unveiled the X-ble Shoulder at Wearable Robotic Tech Day held on the Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang close to Seoul. The X-ble model — a mix of ‘X,’ symbolizing infinite potential, and ‘in a position,’ indicating that something might be realized — heralds a brand new period in wearable know-how.
The X-ble Shoulder, the primary product within the X-ble line, is an industrial wearable robotic developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB. It heralds a brand new period in wearable know-how. When utilized in ‘overhead work’ the place the arm is raised, it might probably help the consumer’s higher arm muscle energy and scale back the burden on the higher extremity musculoskeletal system.
Hyundai Motor and Kia anticipate the X-ble Shoulder will discover use in varied industries, together with building, shipbuilding, aviation and agriculture, not simply vehicles. Following its home launch, the businesses plan to step by step broaden gross sales to abroad markets.
Along with the X-ble Shoulder, Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to develop an industrial wearable robotic ‘X-ble Waist’ to help the waist when lifting heavy masses, and a medical wearable robotic ‘X-ble MEX’ for the rehabilitation of the strolling impaired.
“The X-ble Shoulder is a wearable robotic that leverages the technical capabilities of the Robotics LAB and implements suggestions from precise customers,” stated Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics LAB at Hyundai Motor and Kia. “Going ahead, we intention to broaden the provision of wearable robots, creating merchandise that work naturally with customers to boost their every day lives. By pushing technological boundaries, we are going to make these helpful merchandise accessible to extra folks.”
Enhancing Employee Security and Consolation with X-ble Shoulder
The X-ble Shoulder can scale back shoulder load by as much as 60 p.c and anterior/lateral deltoid muscle exercise by as much as 30 p.c discount to enhance the standard of lifetime of staff.
The X-ble Shoulder was designed with consumer security as the highest precedence. It makes use of carbon composite materials and wear-resistant materials utilized in high-end autos. As a result of product’s excessive energy and lightweight weight, it may be used stably with out issue even for lengthy hours of labor. Additionally, the elements that immediately contact the consumer’s physique are designed to guard in opposition to bodily harm that may happen in industrial websites by making use of impact-resistant materials used within the high a part of the automobile’s crash pad.
The modular robotic elements and the removable, washable vest make this product not solely simple to handle and adaptable to varied work environments, but in addition appropriate with customary work apparel throughout completely different industries.
The largest function of the X-ble Shoulder is that it generates assistive power by means of the muscle compensation module as a substitute of the electrical system with a non-powered torque era construction. There isn’t any must cost individually, making it handy to take care of and handle, and it may be used evenly and safely with out a battery.
The X-ble Shoulder’s assistive power is generated by a patented multi-link construction within the muscle compensation module. Every hyperlink within the multi-link might be adjusted for optimum assistive power in varied work environments. The module is anticipated to carry out round 700,000 folding and unfolding actions yearly in industrial settings.
The X-ble Shoulder is available in two variations: fundamental and adjustable. The essential model is finest for duties the place the posture just isn’t mounted and continues to vary and affords as much as 2.9 kgf of assistive power. The adjustable model, best for duties that repeat the identical motion, permits customers to set the angle for optimum torque primarily based on their work posture, offering as much as 3.7 kgf of assistive power.
The X-ble Shoulder weighs roughly 1.9 kg and might be sized to suit the wearer. Its physique size is adjustable between 406 mm and 446 mm. It permits full arm motion from 0 to 180 levels with out hindering work or relaxation actions.
Consumer suggestions considerably influenced the X-ble Shoulder’s improvement. A pilot trial carried out from 2022 to 2024 concerned roughly 300 staff and well being managers from Hyundai Motor and Kia vegetation. Consumer strategies, together with ease of use, consolation, unrestricted arm motion, adjustable assistive power, and simple cleansing, had been included into product enhancements and new options.
X-ble Shoulder’s commercialization and growth plans are underway
Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB additionally introduced a commercialization plan for X-ble Shoulder. The rise in congenital illnesses and accidents is driving the demand for wearable robots within the medical and well being care trade, adopted by a rise in demand within the manufacturing and protection trade sectors. In line with Mordor Intelligence[1], the Wearable Robots and Exoskeletons Market dimension is estimated at USD 2.55 billion in 2024, and is anticipated to succeed in USD 10.25 billion by 2029, rising at a CAGR of 32.05 p.c.
There’s but no dominant chief within the wearable robotic market, and Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB is on the lookout for alternatives to seize the market.
Step one is to use it to Hyundai Motor and Kia’s manufacturing and upkeep departments. Then, from the mid-2020s onward, they plan to broaden gross sales not solely to the 27 associates of Hyundai Motor Group but in addition to exterior firms. In 2026, they intention to enter abroad markets, resembling Europe and North America, primarily based on home market gross sales expertise, and plan to broaden gross sales to different industries, resembling building, shipbuilding, aviation, agriculture and vehicles.
Firms keen on buying the X-ble Shoulder can inquire by way of the Robotics LAB’s official web site. The know-how, obtainable in restricted portions, is solely for company prospects. The Robotics LAB affords X-ble Shoulder Built-in Consulting, helping firms in making data-driven selections about introducing the wearable robotic into their operations.
The session course of contains Course of Evaluation, which includes analyzing information associated to muscle and joint load throughout work, and Course of Suitability Analysis, which makes use of particular indicators to evaluate the suitability of making use of the X-ble Shoulder. Put up-consultation manufacturing and supply is anticipated to start within the first half of 2025.
Proprietary applied sciences developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB are already enhancing comfort and productiveness in the actual world. Since June, the Factorial Seongsu constructing in Seoul has been leveraging the Lab’s applied sciences, resembling supply robots, computerized charging robots for EVs, and superior facial recognition techniques, to reduce pointless human actions and create an atmosphere the place folks can deal with their work. Transferring ahead, the Lab plans to broaden its product lineup and develop a Robotics Whole Answer, with the intention of fostering a society the place people and robots coexist harmoniously.
[1] https://www.giiresearch.com/report/moi1438479-wearable-robots-exoskeletons-market-share-analysis.html
