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Exoskeletons that augment the physical capabilities of human users could find some very useful applications, and one gaining a lot of attention is assisting workers lifting heavy loads in industrial settings. Last year, we got our first look at an ambitious take on these high-tech suits in the Guardian XO from Sarcos Robotics, which has just gathered US$40 million in new funding to bring its full-bodied exoskeleton to market in 2021.

Sarcos Robotics revealed its Guardian XO in January last year, showing off what it described as the world’s first battery-powered, full-body industrial exoskeleton. The company says this untethered suit can operate for up to eight hours on a single charge and offers wearers a 20 to 1 strength amplification.
This could mean that lifting a 100-pound (45-kg) load would feel like carrying a five-pound load (2.2 kg), for example. This kind of capability drew the attention of Delta Airlines, which earlier this year teamed up with Sarcos Robotics to embark on pilots trials where its frontline workers would put the Guardian XO suit to the test.

Sarcos Robotics has just raised another $40 million in funding, bringing its total of venture capital to $100 million. According to the tech news site, these funds will be used to commercialize the Guardian XO, which Sarcos Robotics hopes will also eventually find use in industries such as health care, disaster recovery, mining and security.

Source: Sarcos Robotics