titan arm assistive exoskeleton wins 2013 james dyson award

titan arm exoskeleton wins 2013 james dyson award
image courtesy james dyson foundation

designed by four mechanical engineering students at the universityofpennsylvania, ‘the titan arm‘, a low-cost upper-body exoskeleton that augments human strength has been awarded the 2013 james dyson award. the system has been developed for use in occupational lifting and healthcare, the mechanical extension assists the user’s arm strength by up to 18 kg to reduce fatigue, and braces the back to prevent poor lifting posture.

the exoskeleton can also be used to help stroke and injury victims rebuild muscle and relearn fine motor control. it provides detailed quantitative feedback to doctors which can be used to motivate their patients by tracking improvement over time and can help users who suffer from permanent injuries or disabilities to live fully-empowered lives. coupled with techniques such as 3D printing and CNC machining, the mobile aid was realized into a fully functioning ergonomic prototype for less than $2000.

lifting weights using ‘the titan arm’ eksoskeleton to rebuild muscle and relearn fine motor control

wiring + construction detail

2013 james dyson award winner: titan arm
video courtesy jamesdysonfoundation

CAD model of the james dyson award

titan arm: james dyson award entry
video courtesy jamesdysonfoundation

for more information on last year’s winner, a safety net trawling system by dan watson, see here.