- Hyundai Motor and Kia unveil ‘X-ble Shoulder’ wearable robotic to spice up industrial effectivity and cut back musculoskeletal accidents via strenuous duties
- X-ble Shoulder has been designed to help with overhead work by enhancing higher arm muscle energy and can be utilized throughout varied 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 gadget can improve staff’ effectivity and cut 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 expertise. When used for ‘overhead work’ the place an operative’s arm is raised, X-ble Shoulder can increase the consumer’s higher arm muscle energy and cut 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 consumer 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,” stated Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics LAB at Hyundai Motor and Kia. “Going ahead, we purpose to increase the provision of wearable robots, creating merchandise that work naturally with customers to boost their day by day lives. By pushing technological boundaries, we’ll make these helpful merchandise accessible to extra folks.”
The X-ble model – a mix of ‘X,’ symbolizing infinite potential, and ‘in a position,’ indicating that something may be realized – heralds a brand new period in wearable expertise.
What are the advantages of the X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic?
X-ble Shoulder’s greatest function is that it generates assistive drive via its muscle compensation module as a substitute 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.
Consequently, X-ble Shoulder can cut back shoulder load by as much as 60 p.c and anterior/lateral deltoid muscle pressure by as much as 30 p.c, enhancing high quality of life for staff.
The X-ble Shoulder was designed with consumer security as the highest precedence. It options carbon composite and wear-resistant supplies utilized in high-end automobiles. Because of the product’s excessive energy and lightweight weight, it presents final stability and can be utilized with ease and with out pressure even for lengthy intervals.
Elements that instantly contact the consumer’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 high a part of the unit’s ‘crash pad’.
The modular robotic elements and the removable, washable vest make X-ble Shoulder not solely straightforward to handle and adaptable to varied work environments, but in addition appropriate with customary work apparel throughout many various industries.
Assistive drive is generated by a patented multi-link construction within the muscle compensation module. Every hyperlink may be adjusted for optimum assistive drive in varied 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 varied industries, together with:
- Development
- Shipbuilding
- Aviation
- Agriculture
- Cars
- Logistics
What are the X-ble Shoulder wearable robotic’s key product options?
X-ble Shoulder is available in two variations: primary and adjustable. The fundamental model is designed for duties the place the human posture continues to vary and presents as much as 2.9 kgf of assistive drive. 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 drive.
X-ble Shoulder weighs roughly 1.9 kg and may 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.
Consumer suggestions considerably influenced the X-ble Shoulder’s improvement. A pilot trial performed between 2022 and 2024 concerned roughly 300 staff and well being managers from Hyundai Motor and Kia vegetation. Consumer ideas have been integrated to ship enhancements centered on:
- Ease of use
- Consolation
- Unrestricted arm motion
- Adjustable assistive drive
- 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 start within the first half of 2025, the businesses plan to progressively increase gross sales to abroad markets.
X-ble Shoulder will probably be first rolled out in Hyundai Motor and Kia’s manufacturing and upkeep departments. From mid-decade, gross sales are deliberate to increase 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 presents 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 anticipate 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 hundreds 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 ailments 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 keeping with 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 on the lookout for alternatives to seize the wearable robotic market and change into leaders on this expertise.
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 surroundings the place folks can give attention to their work.
