'Unplugged Powered Suit' Supports Human Motion Where and When Needed
From: Medical Design Technology - 11/23/2015

A new model of pneumatic muscle and an active type of assistive equipment
incorporating this pneumatic muscle has been developed at Hiroshima
University and Daiya Industry Co. Ltd., Japan. This wearable equipment,
called the Unplugged Powered Suit (UPS), supports human movement without
requiring any electronic devices and tanks because it employs a newly
developed pneumatic muscle named Pneumatic Gel Muscle (PGM) as an actuator.
The UPS improves the quality of life of not only elderly individuals but also
healthy people who enjoy sports activities.

The UPS consists of three parts: PGM (drive part), pump (air pressure for
flexing artificial muscle), and pipework (transmission). PGM is characterized
as light and flexible, and can exert supportive power by low air pressure.
The pump is equipped in the sole, and thus the driving force can be
transmitted to PGM by using the human body weight. Overall, the UPS has a
very simple structure, is easy to maintain, and is inexpensive.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2015/11/unplugged-powered-suit-supports-human-motion-where-and-when-needed
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/hu-wes112215.php
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-11-wearable-equipment-human-motion.html

Link:
Yuichi Kurita
http://www.bsys.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~kurita/index_e.html