from the approved-by-Ellen-Louise-Ripley,-believe-it-or-not dept.
away from the the fictional world of blockbusting movies, robotic exoskeletons offer more prosaic and useful help for humans.
The military has been in on the act for years, using them to help soldiers carry more weight for longer periods of time. Meanwhile manufacturers have been busy creating robotic suits to give mobility to people with disabilities.
But now exoskeletons are becoming an important part of the scene in more conventional workplaces, mainly because of their unique offering.
"Exoskeletons act as a bridge between fully-manual labour and robotic systems. You get the brains of people in the body of a robot," says Dan Kara, research director at ABI Research.
"But there's more to it than that. You can tie the use of exoskeletons to business benefits that are very easy to quantify. The main one is a reduction in work-related injuries, and we know that outside the common cold, back injury is the main reason people are off work."
Can exoskeletons defeat union rules?
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Submitted via IRC for AndyTheAbsurd
MacDill Matters: Iron Man suit out at SOCom, but new innovations still needed for commandos
A competition with an entry deadline of Feb. 15 seeks innovations in 12 areas, including artificial intelligence for psychological operations, improved human performance and undetectable video manipulation.
[...] Last week, James Smith, SOCom's acquisition executive, announced that the final product, known as the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, would not match the initial sales pitch, according Patrick Tucker writing in Defense One.
"It's not the Iron Man. I'll be the first person to tell you that," Smith told the crowd at a key D.C. special operations forum. The exoskeleton, Smith told the audience, is "not ready for prime time in a close-combat environment."
Instead, Tucker writes, the technologies developed, including lightweight body armor and situational awareness in helmet displays, will be chunked off and used elsewhere, if wanted.
(Full disclosure: I work for tampabay.com - and normally would not submit articles from the site, however, in this case I think the technologies and decisions about how to use them discussed in the articles would be of interest to the community.)
Related: Exoskeletons in Industry
New Developments in the World of Exoskeletons
Japanese Exoskeleton Could Help Users Walk and Run, No Batteries Required
Russian Exoskeleton Suit Turns Soldiers Into Stormtroopers
Tethered, Soft Exosuit Can Reduce Metabolic Cost of Running
Turning Workers Into 'Super Workers' With Robotic Suits
(Score: 4, Funny) by krishnoid on Thursday December 07 2017, @10:52PM (2 children)
This way they can take the remainder of each and turn them into super-management.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday December 08 2017, @12:03AM
The left over parts litter the research work room.
Because in the real world these don't actually exist beyond of a research project or a medical application.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 08 2017, @03:19AM
Dilbert has riffed on this theme several times.
Robot Becomes Executive Material By Removing Empathy Routines [dilbert.com]
A Robot Can Do The PHB's Job [dilbert.com]
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 5, Funny) by maxwell demon on Thursday December 07 2017, @11:00PM (1 child)
Imagine how powerful an union worker in an exoskeleton would be. That would be a hell of a strike!
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 08 2017, @03:22AM
Let's see somebody cross -that- picket line.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday December 08 2017, @12:23AM (10 children)
Unions should be greatly in favor of this but I doubt they will be. It would turn dangerous, unskilled labor positions into much safer, skilled labor positions. Unfortunately it would also cut the number of unskilled jobs, which unions are generally too short-sighted to let happen.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 08 2017, @01:10AM (8 children)
The two largest groups of unionized workers are .gov (civil serpents and teachers) and service employees (largely unskilled culinary and janitorial workers). Neither of these have any particular need for augmented speed, strength or dexterity.
The skilled trades are pretty good at adapting to technology, as witnessed by the automation revolution in the automotive and aerospace industries.
What we need is an autonomous robotic boot, which seeks out the asses of under-performing government slugs.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday December 08 2017, @02:11AM (7 children)
If it stops at the level of just "seeking out" those asses, may I suggest something more slender and penetrative than a boot?
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 08 2017, @03:25AM (1 child)
Oh, quit bragging about your needledick.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday December 08 2017, @03:44AM
I didn't, mate, I couldn't find it for quite a looong time... perhaps it was something related with a haystack, but... you know how it happens... the mind is the second thing to go. See... outta sight (without glasses), outta mind (deh, age)... I could not have thought of it, much less to brag about.
But now that you mentioned, maybe one could use yours in a hurry. You volunteer?
(large grin... fortunately, I have all my teeth intact).
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Friday December 08 2017, @03:26AM (3 children)
So, ŵill the kinky staff will under-perform *on purpose*?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday December 08 2017, @03:32AM (2 children)
I'm sorry I can't answer, I don't know "ŵill the kinky staff".
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Friday December 08 2017, @04:08AM (1 child)
Sorry, a robot snuck up on my while I was typing slowly and I long-pressed the "w"
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday December 08 2017, @04:17AM
Virtual keyboards - the bane of modern world.
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 08 2017, @04:18AM
If it means buggering the bureaucrats, tally ho!
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday December 08 2017, @06:39PM
People who don't work anymore because of disabling back injuries also don't pay union dues anymore....
In my direct experience with the Teamsters they were always pretty supportive of safety investments. In fact, they mostly complained when we didn't invest in safety.