New research lab 'AugmentX' officially opened

The AugmentX lab is equipped with a number of exoskeletons. These portable, robotic frames support people in physically demanding work. Think, for example, of lifting heavy loads, or overhead manual labour. An exoskeleton (literal meaning: external skeleton) is reminiscent of a backpack with bulges on the arms and is full of technology. Among other things, it supports the spine, neck and arms, making strenuous efforts easier. Currently, exoskeletons are not yet widely adopted in the industry. Partly because of the high prices, although they do come down year by year. At AugmentX, we focus on the opportunities and innovations surrounding exoskeletons. In doing so, we can safely say that our methodology is several years ahead of the current state-of-the-art.

Our AugmentX lab also has measurement systems to identify the ergonomic load of specific tasks. While an operator performs the task, special pressure-sensitive floor tiles, combined with more than a dozen cameras, provide a huge stream of data. Through our software, we then convert this data into a detailed analysis of the load on muscles and joints. Once the pain points have been identified, we can help companies choose the best technological aid to support their operators. Depending on the task, this could be an exoskeleton, but also a robot, cobot, or other device.