Robotic exoskeleton suits that give manual labourers extra strength could be about to transform the workplace.
The power suits, designed by the European firm German Bionic, were among the main attractions on the second day of the technology exhibition Gitex Europe in Berlin.
The Apogee wearable tool, which has the appearance of a robotic vest, is already being used in factories, hospitals and production lines, where it is being used for a variety of tasks including changing tyres in car garages and easing the load of baggage handlers at Stuttgart Airport.
The company behind the device hopes that its success in Europe will soon be replicated in the UAE. The firm is looking to build new partnerships with Dubai investors and take the robotic vests into the Middle East.
Devices lift up to 36kg, providing "an intelligent link between humans and machines", as it learns each wearer’s behaviours and walking patterns to improve performance.
The Apogee is the sixth generation of the vest, with German Bionic’s chief product officer Norma Steller expecting the device to continue to improve.
“The purpose of the device is that it augments the human body in a way that gives you additional strength and power when you're lifting, when you're walking, or also when you're forward bending,” Ms Steller told The National in Berlin.
“In most cases, it is compensating the whole weight of anything that has to be handled. In Europe, most cargo is still moved on the road by lorries and the unloading and loading is still manual work. The exoskeleton will help and compensate those stress moments.”
Initial prototypes weighed 12kg, but the latest model on show at Gitex had its weight cut to just 7kg. The strength is provided by two electric robotic weight engines, with rechargeable power banks providing around four hours of battery life. Devices cost around Dh290,000, but can be rented for around D1,250 a month.
Wearable vest complements human skills
Rather than robots replacing workers, the devices allow an existing workforce to maximise their output, Ms Steller added. “You still have a human worker with the creativity, problem-solving skills and technical experience, but with the strength of a robot,” she said.
Company investors include Storm Ventures, Benhamou Global Ventures and MIG Capital, an early investor into BioNTech that developed a vaccine for Covid-19. In 2023, the device won a German Entrepreneur Award for innovation in an industry that has grown considerably in the last decade.
Driven by an increasing need for rehabilitation technology and workplace safety, manufacturing and health care have been the industries to see the greatest expansion.
That looks set to continue, with a forecast by industry analysts at Fortune Business Insights suggesting the global market for wearable robotic exoskeletons will reach $30.56 billion by 2032.
In 2023, the US army trialled a robotic exoskeleton to help soldiers carry heavy loads into the battlefield, and to help load howitzer shells. Troops from the 1-78 Field Artillery Battalion tested the futuristic suits to improve strength and endurance during combat.
At a Gitex panel on humanoid and human-centric robots, Pawel Mroczkowski, executive director of DBR77 Robotics said Europe was currently lagging behind the US in bringing robots into industry.
“In Europe, we need a new way of approaching the development speed for humanoids and human-centred robotics,” he said. “We know how robots and their applications will impact our companies for the next two or three years, but investors need to take a deeper jump into this industry.”
Since its inaugural event in Dubai in 1981, Gitex has expanded to host events in technology, business and health care in Africa, Asia and now Europe. On the opening day of the event on Wednesday, Alia Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, hoped the three-day show would attract further investment into UAE tech companies.
