At the Army 2018 forum held at the Rostec State Corporation’s demo center at the Patriot Park nearby Moscow, exoskeleton structure for the soldiers of the future was presented. The equipment has already been tested by the Russian military in real combat environment and proved its high efficacy.
The system is developed jointly by Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building and GB Engineering under Rostec’s supervision. A height-adjustable operative passive exoskeleton is intended to substantially augment a combatant’s physical capacities while protecting his joints and spine. It is a mechanical human joints imitating device made of lightweight CF composite materials to assist locomotorium when on the move or in assault, in carrying loads (weapons, ammunition, equipment, backpacks) of up to 50 kilos.
A passive skeleton has no batteries, servodrives, sensors, electronics. That distinction from an active skeleton increases its reliability, reduces its weight (which is four to eight kilos for various options), makes it absolutely autonomous and easily serviceable.
As Sergei Abramov, Chief Industrial Officer of Rostec’s weaponry cluster, said, “The exoskeleton prototype has been tried in action by the military and police SOFs in 2017 and 2018. An active exoskeleton development is also underway and Rostec engineers have already produced a prototype which is now being finalized and will soon be displayed at some exhibition”.