Exoskeleton (Industrial and Rehabilitative) | Manufacturing | Material Handling / Logistics / Supply Chain
German Bionic Launches 5th Generation of Cray X Exoskeleton
German Bionic, which develops connected robotic exoskeletons, has announced the fifth generation of its Cray X power suit. The exoskeleton will ship worldwide in early 2022, and will be demonstrated at next month's CES in Las Vegas.
The new version includes enhancements such as active walking assistance, IP54 waterproofing, as well as a more powerful 40-volt battery and completely revamped energy management system. The system's onboarding assistant makes getting started straightforward, and a Smart Safety Companion – an AI-based early warning system for ergonomics – maximizes workplace safety. The system provides up to 66 pounds (30 kg) of support per lifting movement to help protect the lower backs of workers involved in heavy lifting. Companies such as BMW and Ikea, as well as France-based international parcel delivery service specialist DPD, have been using the Cray exoskeletons.
The walking assistance feature supports two regions of the body. It gently pushes the legs forward when loads need to be moved from A to B, helping to reduce premature exhaustion and preserve the energy levels of workers conducting tasks that involve both lifting and walking.
The Cray X can handle extremely wet and dusty working environments with ease through its IP54 waterproof rating. The exoskeleton can be used in additional use cases such as construction sites, outdoor warehouses, or automotive workshops, the company said.
The new 40-volt battery can deliver more power to enhance the overall user experience. This also eliminates unnecessary downtimes resulting from battery changes, thanks to a hot-swapping capability. An uninterruptible power supply gives users the benefit of effectively unlimited usage time.
As with the previous version, the Cray X can connect to industrial IoT platforms and smart factory ecosystems, which means that manual handling can be effectively incorporated in the digital workflow to allow for automated benchmarking against a company's key performance indicators, German Bionic said.
"AI is the basis for the ongoing development of exoskeleton technology and the future of human augmentation," said Norma Steller, head of IoT at German Bionic. "The German Bionic cloud-based platform for exoskeletons is unique in the industry, providing us with the data necessary to advance machine learning, cultivate AI applications and continue driving our R&D efforts to new levels. With the fifth generation Cray X, we have taken further significant steps in this direction.
For more information about the new system, visit the German Bionic website here.