The last few years have seen a number of exoskeleton developments. Most of these are designed for industrial use such as the recently introduced CLOi SuitBot from LG or the Chairless Chair from Noonee; or for the military, like the U.S. Army’s prototype for a third arm to help with aim and carrying heavy ordnance and the Fortis from Lockheed Martin to help with mobility.
Now, startup Astride Bionix is launching a Kickstarter campaign to bring exoskeletons to the masses with its Lex bionic chair — a wearable that helps with posture and protects shoulders while people are on the move by making the backpacks lighter.
The exoskeleton can be converted into an ergonomic chair in seconds and can help carry backpacks. Source: Astride BionixLex weighs a little more than one kilogram and turns into an ergonomic chair built to withstand up to 264 pounds. The chair helps users straighten and sit at the right posture. The longer a person sits in the chair, the better the long-term physical benefits are, the company said. When on the move, the exoskeleton load transfers 50% of a backpack's weight from the user’s shoulders to the core of the body, reducing the risk of long-term injuries.
The bionic chair allows anyone to rest anywhere they want, sitting at a 120-degree angle where the back remains upright while the thighs bend forward with the feet on the ground reducing the burden placed on the buttocks, Astride Bionix said.
Lex uses an extendable flexible panel that holds the weight of a backpack where the load transfer goes to the waist.
The company said Lex opens the door to future human augmentation and improvement that can be created through on-demand and off-the-shelf parts.
The Lex is currently on Kickstarter, where the goal is to generate funding for production as well as to increase word of mouth for the product. If you want to support the campaign, click here.
