Cost-Efficient Next-Gen Exoskeleton by ITMO Students Goes Into Production

Exoskeletons are a promising means of carrying cargo at production facilities and warehouses. With the help of levers and electrical drives, they reduce muscle strain, support the wearer, and allow them to safely lift heavy objects. Existing skeletons have a variety of drawbacks: some are not too mobile and don’t perform well on uneven surfaces, while others, though efficient, are expensive and thus not viable for wide-scale application.

AUXILIUM, a team of students from ITMO University, have showcased two models: Auxilium Model M, a leg-and-spine exoskeleton, and Auxilium Model D, a hip exoskeleton. The devices cost between 70,000 and 200,000 rubles, which is significantly lower than foreign-made models – which can cost up to several thousand USD.

Model M is a passive leg-and-spine exoskeleton with a titanium framework. Its belt section can hold up to 50 kg of weight, removing workload from the wearer in idle state and allowing them to save strength for movement by resting the framework on the ground. The exoskeleton’s modular structure means it can be adapted to various tasks and enhanced with an additional “hand,” an air purification system, or a GPS sensor. To reduce the cost of the model, the developers have designed a range of configurations: a titanium leg framework, a titanium leg-and-spine framework, an aluminum leg framework, and an aluminum leg-and-spine framework. The models only differ in terms of how much strain they can handle, with the titanium variety being the strongest. The exoskeletons are one-size-fits-all and can be adjusted for the wearer’s hip width and length, as well as the length of their lower legs and back.

Model D is a hip exoskeleton with a mechanical load relief system. Unlike its counterparts that use an active power unit, it uses a system of codependent joints – when one leg is bent, the other is automatically pulled downward; when both legs are bent, special dampers (springs) are activated. This mechanism makes it easier for the wearer to walk and reduces by 16% the strain on their hip area when repeatedly bending. Optionally, Model D may be equipped with a power generator that is integrated into the joints’ electrical drives; as the legs move, the drives rotate and generate electricity. The generator holds up to 10,000 mAh and can be used to recharge any equipment.

The developers note that their products will find use in circumstances where people must carry cargo over large distances: logistics, delivery, rescue, tourism, or the military. The models are compact and easily transportable: Model D and Model M weigh between three and ten kilograms (depending on configuration), can be quickly disassembled, and fit into a standard large-volume backpack.

Team AUXILIUM consists of students of ITMO’s Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics – Fedor Petrikov, Ivan Smirnov, Alexey Ledyukov, and Leonid Nagornyi. The students first began their work on exoskeletons back in 2021. In 2023, the team presented their first major development – a hip exoskeleton with a power generator – at the Student Startup competition, held by the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE). Having won a grant for one million rubles, the young engineers began to develop the project further: they created a legal entity, acquired specialized production equipment, applied for a patent, and launched their website.

“We’ve already acquired the lathes, launched the pre-orders, and began a small-batch production – at the moment, we’re ready to produce around ten exoskeletons per month. Right now, we’re in negotiations with two major companies: one is interested in adapting our technology for the mining industry, while the other wants to integrate it into space suits. We want exoskeletons to no longer be a far-fetched element of sci-fi films and comics, but an everyday tool that can make people’s lives easier,” says Ivan Smirnov, one of the developers and a student at ITMO’s Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics.