(http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/titanarm.jpg) (http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/01/upenn-titanarm-exoskeleton/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget)
It's no wonder people are interested in exoskeletons (http://www.engadget.com/tag/exoskeleton?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget). Not only do they tap into our lust for the technology of science fiction movies, but among other applications, can make a significant impact (http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/16/ekso-bionics-robotic-suit-eyes-on-video/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) on the lives of those living with disabilities. While many offer leg support, a team from University of Pennsylvania (http://www.engadget.com/tag/universityofpennsylvania/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) recently took silver in an engineering competition for its TitanArm prototype, a powered upper-body exoskeleton that, as the picture above shows, allows you to out-rep anyone at the gym.
Designed to be lightweight and cheap to produce, the robotic bicep upgrade uses a (mostly) aluminum frame, battery-powered DC motor, cable drive system, racket braking and thumbstick controller for movement, with a BeagleBone board (http://www.engadget.com/tag/BeagleBone/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) supervising the electronics that pull it all together. The group at UPenn imagines TitanArm could be employed as a lifting aid, but more importantly, in healthcare applications like increasing mobility or physical therapy -- sensors and other data from the exoskeleton could even allow docs to monitor patients remotely. More info on the project can be found at the source link, while a video below shows TitanArm in use and outlines the hardware that makes those heavy hammer curls a cinch.
Filed under: Robots (http://www.engadget.com/category/robots/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget), Wearables (http://www.engadget.com/category/wearables/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget), Alt (http://www.engadget.com/category/alt/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget)
Comments (http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/01/upenn-titanarm-exoskeleton/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments)
Source: TitanArm (http://titanarm.com/)
Via: Engadget