To assist and improve the efficiency of industrial workers, Hyundai Motor Group has developed Vest EXoskeleton (VEX).
Designed to enhance the movement of human joints, workers who wear the VEX will experience an increase in load support and mobility.
Featuring a polycentric axis, the VEX’s multiple pivot points with multi-link muscular assistance enables the exoskeleton to operate without a battery.
Weighing 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg), Hyundai states that the VEX weighs 22 to 42% less than competitor exoskeletons.
Worn like a backpack, the VEX is fastened to the chest and waist with buckles. The back section of VEX can be adjusted up to 18 cm to fit the various body types and specific needs of a worker.
There are six levels of force assistance available. The max kilogram-force is 5.5.
Developed specifically for production-line workers in the auto industry, Hyundai intends the VEX to be used when bolting the underside of vehicles, fitting brake tubes, attaching exhausts and more. As part of a pilot program, two Hyundai Motor Group plants in the US had incorporated VEX in their production line. According to Hyundai, the trial was “widely successful.”
The VEX is set to enter commercial production in December. The estimated cost is projected to be 30% cheaper than other exoskeletons currently on the market.
