Powered up exoskeleton turns wimps into world-beating power lifters
The technologies used to make exoskeletons are all improving fast, and that means huge gains in exoskeleton performance.
Key takeaways
- Back in the 1980’s exoskeletons featured in almost every sci-fi movie, like Aliens, but since then their development has been rather slow.
- In short that ratio means that lifting a 40kg weight would feel like carrying a 2kg weight, or that carrying a 800kg weight would feel like carrying a 40kg weight – which is more like it!
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'Powered up exoskeleton turns wimps into world-beating power lifters', 311 Institute, 19 September. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/powered-up-exoskeleton-turns-wimps-into-world-beating-power-lifters/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Back in the 1980’s exoskeletons featured in almost every sci-fi movie, like Aliens, but since then their development has been rather slow. Although that said in some cases, such as the development of several brain controlled exoskeletons that gave a quadriplegic man back his mobility and elsewhere helped other people with their hospital rehabs, what little development there has been has been impressive.
Needless to say exoskeletons that augment the physical capabilities of their human users have some very useful applications, and the one that’s gaining the most attention at the moment is assisting workers lifting heavy loads in industrial and military settings.
Last year, we got our first look at an ambitious take on these high-tech suits in the form of the Guardian XO from Sarcos Robotics, who just collected $40 million in funding to bring its full-bodied exoskeleton to market in 2021.
The company first revealed the Guardian XO last year, showing off what it described as “the world’s first battery-powered, full-body industrial exoskeleton,” adding that the untethered suit can operate for up to eight hours on a single charge and offer wearers a 20:1 strength amplification – which is impressive.
In short that ratio means that lifting a 40kg weight would feel like carrying a 2kg weight, or that carrying a 800kg weight would feel like carrying a 40kg weight – which is more like it! It’s no surprise then that this kind of capability drew the attention of Delta Airlines, which earlier this year teamed up with Sarcos Robotics to embark on pilots trials where, as you can see from the videos, its frontline workers would put the Guardian XO suit to the test.
As for what’s next, well, now that the company has secured extra funding to commercialise their suit, apparently they hope to use some of the cash to move into industries such as healthcare, disaster recovery, mining and security, but so far they’re silent on their plans to enter it into weight lifting competitions and use it to battle off evil aliens …
FAQ
Why does this matter?
The technologies used to make exoskeletons are all improving fast, and that means huge gains in exoskeleton performance.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on robotics and the future of your organisation.
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 19 September 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). Powered up exoskeleton turns wimps into world-beating power lifters. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/powered-up-exoskeleton-turns-wimps-into-world-beating-power-lifters/
You are welcome to quote this article with credit and a link to the original.