- Hyundai Motor and Kia unveil ‘X-ble Shoulder’ wearable robotic to spice up industrial effectivity and scale back musculoskeletal accidents by strenuous duties
- X-ble Shoulder has been designed to help with overhead work by enhancing higher arm muscle power and can be utilized throughout numerous industries
- Robust and light-weight X-ble Shoulder unit enhances employee consolation by lowering shoulder load by 60% and muscle exercise by 30%
- Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB additionally introduced a commercialization plan for X-ble Shoulder, with deliveries anticipated to start within the first half of 2025
Hyundai Motor Firm and Kia Company have unveiled a dependable companion for industrial work, the wearable robotic ‘X-ble Shoulder.’ This machine can enhance employees’ effectivity and scale back musculoskeletal accidents. Two movies launched on Hyundai Motor Group’s YouTube channel present the X-ble Shoulder in motion, together with product options and the unit’s improvement story.
What’s the X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic?
X-ble Shoulder is a wearable industrial robotic developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB, and the primary product within the X-ble line. It heralds a brand new period in wearable know-how. When used for ‘overhead work’ the place an operative’s arm is raised, X-ble Shoulder can increase the person’s higher arm muscle power and scale back the burden on the higher musculoskeletal system.
The advantages of Hyundai Motor and Kia Robotics LAB’s X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic embody:
- Enhancing employee security
- Decreasing musculoskeletal harm
- Enhancing person consolation
- Boosting effectivity
“The X-ble Shoulder is a wearable robotic that leverages the technical capabilities of the Robotics LAB and implements suggestions from precise customers,” mentioned Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics LAB at Hyundai Motor and Kia. “Going ahead, we goal to develop the provision of wearable robots, creating merchandise that work naturally with customers to reinforce their day by day lives. By pushing technological boundaries, we are going to make these useful merchandise accessible to extra individuals.”
The X-ble model – a mix of ‘X,’ symbolizing infinite potential, and ‘in a position,’ indicating that something will be realized – heralds a brand new period in wearable know-how.
What are the advantages of the X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic?
X-ble Shoulder’s largest characteristic is that it generates assistive pressure by its muscle compensation module as an alternative of {an electrical} system, with a non-powered torque technology construction. There isn’t a have to cost X-ble Shoulder individually, making it handy to take care of and handle.
Because of this, X-ble Shoulder can scale back shoulder load by as much as 60 p.c and anterior/lateral deltoid muscle pressure by as much as 30 p.c, bettering high quality of life for employees.
The X-ble Shoulder was designed with person security as the highest precedence. It options carbon composite and wear-resistant supplies utilized in high-end autos. As a result of product’s excessive power and light-weight weight, it affords final stability and can be utilized with ease and with out pressure even for lengthy intervals.
Parts that immediately contact the person’s physique are designed to guard in opposition to harm that may happen in industrial websites by making use of impact-resistant materials used within the prime a part of the unit’s ‘crash pad’.
The modular robotic parts and the removable, washable vest make X-ble Shoulder not solely simple to handle and adaptable to numerous work environments, but in addition suitable with normal work apparel throughout many various industries.
Assistive pressure is generated by a patented multi-link construction within the muscle compensation module. Every hyperlink will be adjusted for optimum assistive pressure in numerous work environments. The module is anticipated to carry out round 700,000 folding and unfolding actions yearly in industrial settings.
The place will the X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic be used?
X-ble Shoulder can be utilized in numerous industries, together with:
- Development
- Shipbuilding
- Aviation
- Agriculture
- Vehicles
- Logistics
What are the X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic’s key product options?
X-ble Shoulder is available in two variations: fundamental and adjustable. The fundamental model is designed for duties the place the human posture continues to vary and affords as much as 2.9 kgf of assistive pressure. The adjustable model is right for duties that repeat the identical motion and permits customers to set the unit’s angle for optimum torque help, offering as much as 3.7 kgf of assistive pressure.
X-ble Shoulder weighs roughly 1.9 kg and will be adjusted to suit the wearer. Physique size is adjustable between 406 mm and 446 mm, whereas the unit permits full arm motion from 0 to 180 levels with out hindering work or relaxation actions.
Person suggestions considerably influenced the X-ble Shoulder’s improvement. A pilot trial carried out between 2022 and 2024 concerned roughly 300 employees and well being managers from Hyundai Motor and Kia vegetation. Person options have been included to ship enhancements targeted on:
- Ease of use
- Consolation
- Unrestricted arm motion
- Adjustable assistive pressure
- Simple cleansing
When will the X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic launch?
Hyundai Motor and Kia unveiled the X-ble Shoulder on the Wearable Robotic Tech Day held at Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang, close to Seoul. Following the unit’s home launch, with deliveries set to begin within the first half of 2025, the businesses plan to step by step develop gross sales to abroad markets.
X-ble Shoulder shall be first rolled out in Hyundai Motor and Kia’s manufacturing and upkeep departments. From mid-decade, gross sales are deliberate to develop to 27 Hyundai Motor Group associates, and exterior corporations. Abroad market introduction is being focused in 2026, together with Europe and North America, based mostly on home market gross sales expertise.
Robotics LAB affords X-ble Shoulder Built-in Consulting, helping corporations in making data-driven choices about introducing the wearable robotic into their operations. The session course of contains Course of Evaluation, which entails analyzing information associated to muscle and joint load throughout work, and Course of Suitability Analysis, which makes use of particular indicators to evaluate the suitability of making use of the X-ble Shoulder. Put up-consultation manufacturing and supply is anticipated to start within the first half of 2025.
What can we count on from X-ble sooner or later?
Along with X-ble Shoulder, Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to develop an industrial wearable robotic, referred to as ‘X-ble Waist’, to help when lifting heavy masses and assist forestall waist and again accidents. Robotics LAB additionally intends to develop a medical wearable robotic, referred to as ‘X-ble MEX’, for the rehabilitation of the strolling impaired.
A rise in congenital illnesses and accidents is driving the demand for wearable robots within the medical and healthcare trade, adopted by rising demand within the manufacturing and protection sectors. In response to Mordor Intelligence[1], the Wearable Robots and Exoskeletons Market is estimated at USD 2.55 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to achieve USD 10.25 billion by 2029.
Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB is in search of alternatives to seize the wearable robotic market and change into leaders on this know-how.
Proprietary applied sciences developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB are already enhancing comfort and productiveness in the true world. Since June, the Factorial Seongsu constructing in Seoul has been leveraging the LAB’s applied sciences to create an setting the place individuals can concentrate on their work.
