Hyundai Motor and Kia Robotics have introduced the X-ble Shoulder, a wearable robot designed to support overhead tasks and reduce musculoskeletal strain. No batteries required! The device alleviates shoulder load by 60% and deltoid muscle activity by 30%, improving worker comfort and safety in a wide range of industries, including construction, shipbuilding, aviation, agriculture and automotive manufacturing.
Globally, 37% of those polled believe AI and robotics will improve their jobs, but almost the same percentage (36%) expect their jobs to be replaced in the coming years. The X-ble Shoulder offers a more balanced and hopeful vision of centaurs — human-machine collaborations that augment an individual’s abilities. It’s geared towards another major upheaval in labor dynamics, too: Hyundai and Kia are focusing on the benefits of wearable robots for older workers, noting that worldwide, 150 million jobs will shift to workers over the age of 55 by 2030.
While the X-ble Shoulder is primarily designed for industrial applications, potential B2C adaptations are easy to envision. In August 2024, Skip and Arc’teryx unveiled an AI-powered exoskeleton knee attachment for hiking pants, marking a transition from mobility aids as purely medical devices to lifestyle products. How will you use the latest technologies to enhance the human experience? Think productivity boosters, safety assistance, lifestyle power-ups, and more 🦾
The X-ble Shoulder is set for release in South Korea in early 2025, with global expansion in the pipeline. Planned future developments include the X-ble Waist for lifting tasks and the X-ble MEX for rehabilitation of walking impairments.