SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor and Kia are expanding the use of their wearable robot beyond auto plants, testing the device in settings ranging from peach farms to one of the world's toughest endurance races.
The companies released a video Sunday showing Choi Hye-rang, a young peach farmer in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, using the X-ble Shoulder wearable robot during farm work.
Choi is the first recipient of the device through a support program run by the NongHyup Young Farmers Support Center.
Peach farming involves repeated overhead work, including flower thinning, fruit thinning, bagging and harvesting. These tasks require workers to keep their arms raised for long periods.
"It gives support only when I raise my arms," Choi said in the video. "I wear it whenever I work, and sometimes I even forget I have it on."
The X-ble Shoulder weighs 1.9 kilograms, including the vest, and does not require a battery or external power supply. It uses a non-powered structure that provides support only when the wearer lifts their arms.
Hyundai and Kia said the device was designed to be light enough for long outdoor use and adjustable for different body types. Choi said the range of vest sizes made it easier for smaller users to wear.
A study led by the Rural Development Administration found that the X-ble Shoulder reduced shoulder muscle use by an average of 33 percent in five types of fruit-growing work, including peaches, grapes and apples.
The device has also been tested in a very different environment: the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the French endurance race in which cars and teams operate for a full day under intense physical and time pressure.
At the 94th running of the race, held June 13 and 14 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Hyundai Motor Group deployed the X-ble Shoulder to support Genesis Magma Racing crews working on the No. 19 GMR-001 hypercar.
The vehicle made its Hypercar-class debut at the event. Each tire for the GMR-001 weighs about 13 kilograms, and crews may handle as many as 56 tires per car during the race.
Hyundai Motor Group said the wearable robot helped reduce shoulder load by up to 60 percent and muscle fatigue by about 30 percent during loading and unloading work.
Hyundai and Kia developed the wearable robot through their Robotics Lab. The companies began deploying wearable robots more actively at their own production sites last year.
Kim Kyu-jung, who led development of the X-ble Shoulder, said comfort was central to the design because workers are unlikely to keep using a device that restricts movement.
"No matter how advanced the function is, it is difficult for a wearable robot to be used continuously at industrial sites if it is uncomfortable to wear or move in," Kim said. "We focused on making the motion feel natural while reducing the burden on the shoulders."
The device's point of maximum torque can be adjusted depending on the user's work posture. Before introducing the product to a worksite, Hyundai and Kia analyze the type of movement required and provide consulting to help set the device for each user.
"We don't just supply the product — we support initial consulting so it can be used effectively on-site," said Park Se-heon, a senior researcher at the Robotics Lab. "Inquiries are coming in not only from manufacturers but from agriculture and other industries as well."
Hyundai and Kia said they plan to expand the use of wearable robots from manufacturing into agriculture, motorsport and other fields where workers face repeated shoulder and arm strain.
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