We all know the advantages of using exoskeleton for people with paralysis due to spinal injuries and walking difficulties. Swiss engineers have thought of another utility of exoskeleton and invented a new type of exoskeleton: the Chairolution. It allows a man to easily maintain the sitting posture for hours without effort.
The name Chairolution is composed of two words “chair” ( flesh in English) and “revolution”. This exoskeleton allows a person to maintain a good posture for performing a variety of tasks during their work or leisure. By supporting a user, it can increase productivity and avoid the injuries related to the bad posture.
Indeed in some places, for example, such as on an assembly line, the worker is required to stand and never allowed to rest. In these uncomfortable positions, fatigue and stress build up and the risk of injury increases. For comfort at work, Swiss based Start-up Noonee has invented this device which is not really a chair. The Chairolution is actually an exoskeleton leg, just to give additional support to the human body and to soothe the muscles that support it.
This product is also presented as a mechatronics device. Lightweight (1 pound to wear on each leg) and compact, the user is free to move and it does not prevent him from walking or running. Once activated, the Chairolution supports the body weight of the person and relieves the stress on the leg muscles as well as joints.
To use it, the user just needs to put himself in the desired position and turn on the exoskeleton. And the system does the rest. The prosthesis easily attaches to the hips and thighs. Its carbon fiber and aluminum frame provides durability and low-weight. The device can support up to 100 pounds weight on each leg. It has a battery life of about 8 hours with a 9V battery.
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Born at the laboratory bio-inspired robotics of the ETH Zurich, the patent of Chairolution is in process. Testing of the exoskeleton will soon begin in Germany on the assembly lines of BMW the car brand. Then around the end 2014, same thing will be done with assembly line of Audi. CEO and co-founder of Noonee Keith Gunura, plans to expand the use of its exoskeleton to other applications like public transport and people facing a waiting situation in museum, shops, administrative services etc.