Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I recently visited Ottobock’s facility in Austin Texas to try their Paexo Back and Shoulder exoskeletons. These are purely mechanical or passive devices that do not use an external power source.
Link to my Patreon page: patreon.com/Belinda_Carr
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:49 Ottobock Back
2:15 Advantages
3:10 Ottobock Shoulder
4:18 Advantages
4:38 Other exoskeletons
5:19 Concerns
7:09 Conclusion
The Paexo Back is fairly easy to put on. It has 2 shoulder straps, a hip belt, chest strap and two thigh straps. It weighs only 4.5 kgs or 10 lbs
When custom fit to your body, it takes less than 20 seconds to put on and take off. It fits both men and women and is individually adaptable to S M L XL sizes. A mechanical clutch at hip level can be turned to differentiate between walking and lifting. You can also adjust the degree of support for different loads. It works on a biomechanical principle. When you bend over to pick up an object, load is taken off at the shoulder and transferred to the thighs and legs via bars. Energy is stored in an expander-spring. It absorbs force when bending, releases it when lifting. I felt an energy boost when straightening up. It also corrected my posture and kept my spine straight. When I turned the hip clutch off and lifted one of those 20 lb boxes, I felt a big difference in the weight. It is made of a various materials like aluminum, titanium, carbon and plastic. It is lightweight and unobtrusive
Since it is only mechanical and not battery powered, it works without an external power source, and doesn't need to be charged. It can provide relief of up to 55lbs/25kg. It protects the lower back and spine, prevents injury to muscles and discs and reduces stress and fatigue. All the fabric pieces are removable, washable, and reusable. Because of the custom fit, it cannot be easily shared between workers. Companies can rent 3 Paexo Back systems for 6 weeks for $3900
Or you can purchase one for $6900
Next, I tried on the Paexo Shoulder. This one was easier and more intuitive than the first exoskeleton I tried on. It has two shoulder straps, one hip strap, a chest strap and two arm supports. After unhooking the magnetic closure, I pulled the arm cuff down, strapped it tight. It transfers a portion of the arm weight to the pelvis through a hip belt. A support bar and arm bar that are connected through a hinge joint. A passive spring actuator generates support torque in this joint. The lack of rigid components allows you to freely move your arms and upper body. It weighs only 1.9 kgs or 4 lbs. It can also be adjusted to different body sizes. Raised arms are held up by an innovative expander tech. It is best for overhead work as it relieves strain on the shoulder joints and upper arms.
It can be used during neurosurgical operations, for overhead work on assembly lines, painting ceilings, sanding, drywalling, electrical installation and plaster construction. Just like the Paexo Shoulder, it is a purely mechanical or passive system that doesn’t require any external power source.
Ottobock also makes
Paexo thumb that protects the tip of the thumb against mechanical influences. It comes in 7 different sizes and costs $450 or 400 euros
Paexo Wrist bridges and protects wrists when holding welding equipment, installation generators, etc. It costs $170 or 150 euros
Paexo soft back supports the lower spine when standing during extended assembly tasks. It costs $280 or 250 euros
Paexo neck relieves the neck region and cervical spine. It also costs $280 or 250 euros
The 2 systems I tried are cheaper and lighter than active, battery powered exoskeletons but they are not as powerful. Some souped up exoskeletons by other manufacturers can make 10 lbs feel as light as 5 pounds. Exoskeletons seem cool and futuristic, but their novelty can quickly wear off if they are a hindrance. Companies are not likely to invest thousands of dollars on “grunt workers” even though their work is vital. That being said, Hilti has teamed up with Ottobock on their Exo-01 shoulder support exoskeleton to reduce physical strain on construction workers.
--------------------
SOURCES:
youtube.com/watch?v=PyMmqhT7lPk
youtube.com/watch?v=MlHV4_mMn9w
youtube.com/watch?v=CKvEBWaPd2I
--------------------
Fluffy by Smith The Mister smiththemister.bandcamp.com
Smith The Mister bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YT
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/stm-fluffy
Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/OM9G3nyLT_w
---------------------
Disclaimer: This video was created for educational/informational purposes and qualifies as Fair Use. If you are the creator or own the footage featured in this video and have reservations please notify me via Youtube comments or email and I will accommodate you
#exoskeleton #robot #constructionrobot
I recently visited Ottobock’s facility in Austin Texas to try their Paexo Back and Shoulder exoskeletons. These are purely mechanical or passive devices that do not use an external power source.
Link to my Patreon page: patreon.com/Belinda_Carr
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:49 Ottobock Back
2:15 Advantages
3:10 Ottobock Shoulder
4:18 Advantages
4:38 Other exoskeletons
5:19 Concerns
7:09 Conclusion
The Paexo Back is fairly easy to put on. It has 2 shoulder straps, a hip belt, chest strap and two thigh straps. It weighs only 4.5 kgs or 10 lbs
When custom fit to your body, it takes less than 20 seconds to put on and take off. It fits both men and women and is individually adaptable to S M L XL sizes. A mechanical clutch at hip level can be turned to differentiate between walking and lifting. You can also adjust the degree of support for different loads. It works on a biomechanical principle. When you bend over to pick up an object, load is taken off at the shoulder and transferred to the thighs and legs via bars. Energy is stored in an expander-spring. It absorbs force when bending, releases it when lifting. I felt an energy boost when straightening up. It also corrected my posture and kept my spine straight. When I turned the hip clutch off and lifted one of those 20 lb boxes, I felt a big difference in the weight. It is made of a various materials like aluminum, titanium, carbon and plastic. It is lightweight and unobtrusive
Since it is only mechanical and not battery powered, it works without an external power source, and doesn't need to be charged. It can provide relief of up to 55lbs/25kg. It protects the lower back and spine, prevents injury to muscles and discs and reduces stress and fatigue. All the fabric pieces are removable, washable, and reusable. Because of the custom fit, it cannot be easily shared between workers. Companies can rent 3 Paexo Back systems for 6 weeks for $3900
Or you can purchase one for $6900
Next, I tried on the Paexo Shoulder. This one was easier and more intuitive than the first exoskeleton I tried on. It has two shoulder straps, one hip strap, a chest strap and two arm supports. After unhooking the magnetic closure, I pulled the arm cuff down, strapped it tight. It transfers a portion of the arm weight to the pelvis through a hip belt. A support bar and arm bar that are connected through a hinge joint. A passive spring actuator generates support torque in this joint. The lack of rigid components allows you to freely move your arms and upper body. It weighs only 1.9 kgs or 4 lbs. It can also be adjusted to different body sizes. Raised arms are held up by an innovative expander tech. It is best for overhead work as it relieves strain on the shoulder joints and upper arms.
It can be used during neurosurgical operations, for overhead work on assembly lines, painting ceilings, sanding, drywalling, electrical installation and plaster construction. Just like the Paexo Shoulder, it is a purely mechanical or passive system that doesn’t require any external power source.
Ottobock also makes
Paexo thumb that protects the tip of the thumb against mechanical influences. It comes in 7 different sizes and costs $450 or 400 euros
Paexo Wrist bridges and protects wrists when holding welding equipment, installation generators, etc. It costs $170 or 150 euros
Paexo soft back supports the lower spine when standing during extended assembly tasks. It costs $280 or 250 euros
Paexo neck relieves the neck region and cervical spine. It also costs $280 or 250 euros
The 2 systems I tried are cheaper and lighter than active, battery powered exoskeletons but they are not as powerful. Some souped up exoskeletons by other manufacturers can make 10 lbs feel as light as 5 pounds. Exoskeletons seem cool and futuristic, but their novelty can quickly wear off if they are a hindrance. Companies are not likely to invest thousands of dollars on “grunt workers” even though their work is vital. That being said, Hilti has teamed up with Ottobock on their Exo-01 shoulder support exoskeleton to reduce physical strain on construction workers.
--------------------
SOURCES:
youtube.com/watch?v=PyMmqhT7lPk
youtube.com/watch?v=MlHV4_mMn9w
youtube.com/watch?v=CKvEBWaPd2I
--------------------
Fluffy by Smith The Mister smiththemister.bandcamp.com
Smith The Mister bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YT
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/stm-fluffy
Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/OM9G3nyLT_w
---------------------
Disclaimer: This video was created for educational/informational purposes and qualifies as Fair Use. If you are the creator or own the footage featured in this video and have reservations please notify me via Youtube comments or email and I will accommodate you
#exoskeleton #robot #constructionrobot
