Graphene as Future of Exoskeleton suites
For current “state of Exoskeleton nation” please see my post Exoskeleton’s.
Exoskeleton suites will eliminate use of wheelchairs and some of other mobility and rehabilitation devices in the same way as computers killed typewriter (and some other devices).
Above statement is based on prediction that Exoskeletons will be improved dramatically in the near future with the use of GRAPHENE, recently “discovered” new material based on sheet built with one atomic layer of Carbon. This predictions of exoskeleton future built with Graphene comes from properties of this new marvel material. Instead of “old” clunky exoskeleton parts Graphene sheets will be major component used to build Exoskeleton full body or partial body suit.
It will look similar like today’s modern full body swimsuits and our regular clothes could cover this suit if needed.
This suit should be easy to wear and possibly could be programmed to wear by itself helping immobile patients with eliminating need for another person(s) assistance.
Graphene Exoskeleton will not need extra pack of batteries as it will be power storage itself and will not need special separate computer as layers of this material can do computing itself.
Strong as spider net (10 x stronger than steel!) this material will be form in layers net that will form the main fabric of the suit and at the same time base for hundreds of sensors and electric stimulus transfer points for non working muscles. Embedded within a suit, long tubes/ wires created by spirals of millions of Graphene circle layers will form powerful exo-tendons and exo-muscles that would sprout through the suit enabling and coordinating movement by contracting – releasing on command.
Those, under skin Graphene “veins” and “tendons” would be also very powerful energy storage’s (similar to ultracapacitors). It will have plenty of fast rechargeable power to move handicapped or injured individual into normal walking, running, dancing or swimming.
. The whole suit will be thin as extra layer of skin, transparent and open as a net to let skin breathe.
To be able to simultaneously and flawlessly control all movements and keep perfect balance and stability, several layers of Graphene suite along with layers of some other new materials (possibly Molybdenite, or MoS2) will work as a powerful computer itself. This computer should be controlling superbly 3 levels of movement fused into one fluid motion.
First level of movement will be original remaining movement of user’s muscles if it exists. Second level of movement will be harnessed after user’s muscles are stimulated by the suit. Final coordination of movement will be achieved with Graphene suit strong exo-muscles in the shape of sprouted “veins” that will produce movement in “contraction-release” fashion.
This whole suite will be controlled by user direct brain activity and will be no need to learn using any commands or controls as our brain already knows how to move by sending commands & signals even when those signals due to injury or disease cannot reach targeted muscles.
Neurophysiologist Miguel Nicolelis from Duke University and his team are already in advanced stage of brain-controlled exoskeleton project.
Future users of Graphene suit, aside from mobility impaired patients or larger and aging population with need for mobility support, this suit could be used by workers on physical demanding jobs, soldiers, firefighters etc.
Graphene suit could also be used as training device for sportsman’s and even for hikers, swimmers etc.
Rehabilitation process will be much easier and more effective with this all time Self Wearable Suit.
Price for Graphene suit in mass production could be much lower than the price for “old & clunky” exoskeleton suites we can see developed from 2004 to possibly 2014. As more and more people would use this type of suit and thanks to possible competition price will
go down to the price of wheelchair that will share destiny of the author.
As Graphene Suites will be self-learning and self-adjusting devices, it will be easy to organize mass production that will drive price down.
This technology itself is available right now and Graphene will be used in mass production from this year and in the future for
mobile communication devices by the several Electronic giants we should see within year or two first development of this type of
suit.
Z.Komadina
Reserve all rights. All statements in this blog post and predictions are based
on my interpretation of probability and are purely subjective.
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Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature
Saint Augustine
“The ultimate goal,” [neurophysiologist Miguel] Nicolelis says, “is to build a robotic vest for the whole body. Just as in this study, a person’s brain activity will control movement of the limbs, and get sensory feedback from the external world.”This kind of technology could revolutionize the way para- and quadriplegics live their lives.
MIRACLE OF WALK PROJECT 