This here is a Japanese engineering project called Skeletonics. This passive exoskeleton doesn’t have any servomechanisms like traditional active exoskeletons. Instead, the engineers went with a series of levers, springs, and pulleys to amplify the movements of their operator.
The benefits of the passive design over an active exoskeleton are quite significant due to a profound reduction of weight and complexity from motors and software — this one just uses simple physics and mechanics. It’s kind of like those stilts dry-wallers use to lay the mud, except way cooler.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdPpWy_O09k&w=640&h=510]
[via Make]
