Hyundai Motor Group’s latest exoskeleton wearable robot — the Vest Exoskeleton (VEX) — has won a Product Design award (in the Innovative Products category) at the Red Dot Design Awards. VEX was developed in line with the group’s “commitment to the health and safety of its industrial workers”; it is designed to prevent injuries while advancing the field of robotics.

Dong Jin Hyun, head of the Robotics Lab at Hyundai Motor Group, said: “This award is a testament to the collaboration between Robotics Lab and Hyundai Design Centre. Under Hyundai’s brand vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, our lab has been trying to pioneer robotics through converging various technologies. With the success and recognition of VEX, Hyundai will continue developing novel products that will give people a better quality of life.”

The compact design is achieved by using the latest technology, which eliminates the need for a battery. Worn like a backpack, VEX uses a ‘poly-centric’ axis to provide a maximum force of 5.5kgf — despite the fact that it weighs only 2.8kg. It is designed primarily for production-line workers who need to work with their hands above their heads (usually on the underside of vehicles on the assembly line).

Hyundai Motor Group ran pilot programmes at its US plants and received positive feedback from the workers, as VEX reduced fatigue in their arms and shoulders while boosting productivity and safety. Hyundai Motor Group is also working on another lightweight wearable robot — the Chairless Exoskeleton (CEX). This will enable workers to easily maintain a sitting position without using a stool or chair.