a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
The devices perform alternating and quite different mechanical works which are controlled by a person. The object of the present construction is to amplify the force of a man and perform different kinds of mechanical works which otherwise have to be performed by hand. The principal kind of works to be performed are digging, pile-driving, …
Read More “1930 – Giant Mechanical Worker – Franz Hübl (Czechoslovakia)”
An early patent describing current exoskeletons was filed in 1964 (and issued in 1967) in the United States. Without using the specific term of exoskeleton, Emery Kultsar, the inventor, describes a "system of support and traction for 'body', designed to protect workers from extreme conditions (fire, explosions, fallen wreckage …). A design feature was that …
Constantin Paul Lent 3034131 MOBILE SPACE SUIT – see pdf here. Patent number: 3034131 Filing date: Aug 7, 1956 Issue date: May 15, 1962 Although the suits key features were related to the aviator's 'needs' for long-duration flights, the invention predicted that as the air became more rarified the higher one could travel, the internal …
Read More “1956 – Powered Space Suit – Constantin Lent (American)”
(1904 claims) Skorzewski's Apparatus for Facilitating Walking or Running avoids one of the main causes of muscular fatigue, namely the necessity of a man's lifting his centre of gravity a certain height at every step. During the period of descent there is no compensation for the energy expended. The muscles have to remain strained in …
Read More “1904 – Apparatus for Facilitating Walking or Running – Skorzewski (West Prussian)”
Nicholas Yagn, of St.Petersburg, Russia, designed a set of walking, jumping, and running assisted apparatus from 1889-1890. An earlier version used a giant bow spring. The final version used compressed gas bags to store the energy. An example of a passive and human-powered exoskeleton . Patent number: 440684 Filing date: Feb 11, 1890 Issue date: Nov 1890 See …
Read More “1890 – Assisted-walking Device – Nicholas Yagn (Russian)”