Exoskeleton in partnership with VW

Designed and developped in Fablab Puebla

Technology - machines & tools Industry & innovation

The exoskeleton project is a device to help person in uncomfortable positions to work longer and limit the musculoskeletal disorders. Once the person keeps its arms up more than 1,5 seconds, the angle with the vertical is more than 90 degrees and the movement are slow, the system will block automatically. This mechanical exoskeleton is made of aluminum and steel and has electronic part to analysis the movement and gather statistics.

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Technologies used

3D printing Electronics Metal working tools
  • What’s the project story?

The exoskeleton presented at the Inno at IDIT event is the third interaction of the project. The first one was the subject of the Luis’s final year project, the actual fabmanager of the Fablab Puebla, four years ago. The second one was initiated thanks to the funding of the Volkwsagen company whose automobile plant, the biggest of Mexico, is located by Puebla. Basically, the story would might have stopped if IDIT had not dared to seize the opportunity to insert a presentation of the exoskeleton into the busy schedule of one of the big boss of VW who came to Puebla to visit the automobile factory. It was so impressed and surprised it had been possible to make it in a fablab that he gave the chance to the project. The second version came out and made quite the impression at the occasion of a Volkwsagen internal innovation challenge. The project then pursued with a more ergonomic third version.

  • How the lab was useful for your project?

For this project we needed many machines we can find in the Fablab Puebla like the famous 3D printer for the small non critical pieces and the impressive waterjet cutting machine to design the metal pieces that composed the structure of the exoskeleton. Also we found the great help of the team who was always close to the project.

  • What’s the project’s greatest success so far?

We choose rapidly an effective material for the structure of a prototype.

  • What’s your greatest failure(s)& lesson(s) so far? 

One advice for such project: Don’t try to do it perfectly. Test, fail and learn.

  • What’s your vision for the project & next steps?

The next steps will be a fourth version with carbon structure to diminish the weight of the exoskeleton. The actual 8 kg of the third version are unsatisfactory.

  • How can anyone interested can contribute to the project?

Anyone who is interested in a exoskeleton for an industry other than automobile one can contact us so that we could work together and develop a dedicated version of the exoskeleton.

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