The future of robotics isn’t in robots replacing humans, but in humans using robotics to enhance what we can do. We had a glimpse of it with German Bionics Apogee ULTRA at CES. However, German Bionics now has an even more advanced exoskeleton, featuring augmented AI with the Exia.
As a refresher, exoskeletons allow the wearer to lift significantly more than they can naturally by providing external support. Imagine a lifting spotter, but they’re gently boosting you as you lift. Repetitive lifting injuries affect everyone, from warehouse workers to healthcare providers, and an exoskeleton makes lifting healthier and safer for all.
Exia takes the exoskeletons to a new level. For one thing, it’s offering up to 84 pounds of dynamic lift assistance, which is a hefty amount to offset! That alone is enough to save backs and quads a lot of grief.
But what’s really cool is that Exia picks up an augmented AI to help as well. The AI learns from the user’s movements and their environment, so not only is it spotting you, it’s getting ready to spot before you even start the movement! The AI continues to fine-tune and can receive over-the-air updates, so it will only get smarter and more effective as it gets used.
Exia also has a companion app from German Bionic to track analytics and even get gamefied coaching. In addition, the suit’s software will flag if your movements are high risk, so you’re constantly corrected and properly lifting with your knees.