TECH FRONT


The benefits of using bulk metallic glass in robots aren’t only seen in outer space. BMGs could be game-changing for reducing the cost of robots here on Earth, too.


can be worn together or separately, depending on need. The backX reduces forces on the wearer’s lower back, the shoulder reduces forces at the shoulder, allowing the wear- er to perform lifting tasks for longer periods of time and with less effort, and the legX reduces strain on the knees and quadriceps, allowing the wearer to squat repeatedly or for long period of time. “The MAX solution is designed for unstructured


workplaces where no robot can work as efficiently as a human worker. Our goal is to augment and support workers who perform demanding and repetitive tasks in unstructured workplaces in order to prevent and reduce injuries,” suitX CEO Homayoon Kazerooni said. Kazerooni is also a professor of mechanical engi-


neering at the University of California, Berkeley. SuitX was founded based on research rooted in the Robotics and Human Engineering Lab, where he is the director, at the university. “We have created responsive and affordable technolo-


The MAX exoskeleton consists of three separate modules: the backX, shoulderX and legX. All modules can be worn together or separately, depending on need.


Hofmann’s second paper looked at using BMGs to man-


ufacture strain wave gears, a type of gear that includes a metal ring that flexes as the gear spins. These gears are tricky to mass produce, but they’re necessary for advanced robots, especially humanoid ones—and they’re often the robot’s most expensive part. The research group found that BMGs not only allow these


gears to perform at low temperatures but also can be pro- duced at a fraction of the cost of their steel counterparts. “Mass producing strain wave gears using BMGs may have a major impact on the consumer robotics market,” Hofmann said. “The performance at low temperatures for JPL space- craft and rovers seems to be a happy added benefit.”


Industrial exoskeleton reduces injury risk


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uitX, a California-based robotics company that designs and makes medical and industrial exoskel- etons, introduced its MAX industrial exoskeleton at


the end of last year. The MAX exoskeleton consists of three separate mod- ules: the backX, shoulderX and legX. All three modules


gies to augment workers’ strength while leaving the worker in control of the operation,” he said. “MAX is designed to support workers during the repetitive tasks that most frequently cause injury. It’s not only lifting 75 pounds that can hurt your back; it is also lifting 20 pounds repeatedly throughout the day that will lead to injury.” Initial research to develop MAX was provided by vari-


ous sources, including a grand from the National Science Foundation under a National Robotics Initiative program the White House put forth in 2011.


Printable electronics at a bargain price


cated exactly when it was about to go bad? Imagine this same technology on a window inside your home, display- ing the day’s forecast by measuring the conditions outside. Such technology has been a pipedream of scientists


W


for some time. Coming up with a practical, inexpensive yet precise solution has been the challenge. Attempts to print these electronic surfaces using inkjet printing or stamping techniques have produced mixed results since these meth- ods are difficult to control at a small scale. Ink spills over the borders or prints are uneven. Researchers at MIT invented a fast, precise process that could make these printable electronic stamps inexpensive


hat if you could slap a sticker onto your daily latte and get an instant read on its temperature? What if your produce had packaging that indi-


March 2017 Photo credit: Courtesy SuitX


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