Imagine being able to enjoy superhuman strength and endurance without fatigue and body wear and tear. Well, that’s what Sarcos Robotics’ battery-powered, force-multiplying, exoskeleton can do! The Guardian XO is a full-body robotic suit that turns the wearer into a near-cyborg superhuman.
It enables anyone to be able to lift 200 pounds (91 kg) of payload as if it was only 4.5 kilograms (10 lbs.) – and for hours straight without getting tired, or without having to endure any physical strain. The suit amplifies a user’s strength by up to 20 times!
The suit is big and bulky, but it bears its weight. It is effortless to get into, taking less than 30 seconds to put it on. When in action, it responds in mere milliseconds to the operator’s movements. The Guardian XO can be used for a full eight hours non-stop by hot-swapping battery systems – one battery lasts 2 hours on a full charge.
This highly impressive machine is ideal for situations where humans are obliged to lifting tasks that are difficult or impossible to do with more conventional lifting machinery. It could improve the productivity of workers and ease the burden of a tiresome job. It may also be used to level the playing field, meaning allow those who don’t meet the necessary physical strength requirements to perform heavy lifting tasks as well.
Delta is set to be the first company to have frontline employees work with Sarcos Robotics in identifying operational uses for the Guardian XO. The exoskeletons will be tested out in a real-world scenario at a pilot location during the first quarter of this year.
Gareth Joyce, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Airport Customer Service & Cargo, said:
We owe it to the best airline employees on the planet to explore how emerging technology can make their jobs safer and easier. That’s why we sought out a partnership with Sarcos.
Ben Wolff, Sarcos CEO, added:
We look for companies who are clear leaders in tech adoption and have a history of innovating to meet the needs of their customers and their employees. Delta is the natural fit in the airline industry and has proven to be a great partner as we work to fine-tune this technology for commercial deployment.
The airline company will see how well the robot-suit works in a range of operations, such as moving heavy components at maintenance centers, handling freight at warehouses, and lifting heavy machinery for ground support. Not only does the suit bolster employee strength, but it increases the overall safety of the job as well.
