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S. Korean military to develop wearable muscle assist robots

S. Korean military to develop wearable muscle assist robots

Posted November. 29, 2016 07:10,   

Updated November. 29, 2016 07:22

한국어

A wearable strength-enhancing robot will be developed in South Korea, which will enable a solider in full kit to run at the speed of 10 kilometers per hour, under a joint project among the government, military, and the private sector. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on Monday that it will invest 20 billion Korean won (17 million U.S. dollars) to develop a suit-type muscle strength enhancing robot by 2020 in collaboration with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and LIG Nex1, South Korean aerospace manufacturer.

The suit-type exoskeletons will allow the wearer to carry weapons and equipment as heavy as 70 kilograms and travel mountainous areas with ease. Once developed, the muscle assist robot will boost the power and speed of a person by two or threefold like the protagonist of the movie RoboCop. The ADD is leading the effort to develop the controlling technologies on high speed mobility, and LIG Nex1 is working on integrated operational and controlling technologies to handle heavy load and batteries. The DAPA is expecting that once the development process is completed, the strength-enhancing robots will be deployed for combat in mid-2020 after going through the stage of pilot operation. “The combat gear and firearms that our soldiers will have to carry with them will increase in weight, and their physical operation scope will expand,” said an official of DAPA. “The introduction of a muscle-assistant robot will make significant contributions to boosting their capacity to fulfill their missions.”

It is projected that the new technology will also be in high demand in private sectors, such as disaster management and construction sites that often require handling of heavy weights. The U.S. and Japan are also making huge investments in wearable power assist robots. The U.S. is exploring various fields for the application of the technology including military and rehabilitation services. Japan is planning to distribute 9.4 million wearable muscle-assistants by 2025 to support senior population.



Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com