The wearable robot that turns anyone into a SUPERHERO: Bionic arm lets users lift an extra 40lb effortlessly



The system can help people who need rehabilitation or a little extra muscle



It uses a cable drive which works in a similar way to the brakes on a bike

Handheld joystick controls motorised cables that raise and lower the arm

The devices cost less than $2,000 (£1,217) and weighs 18lb (8kg)

The Titan Arm can help its wearer carry an additional 40lb (18kg). Pictured is Nick McGill, one of the inventors, wearing the arm

Need a hand lifting something?



A robotic device invented by engineering students could help its wearer carry an additional 40 pounds (18 kg).



That's equivalent to a four-year old child. Instead of feeling the full weight of their body, the robot arm would make lifting the child feel as easy as lifting a cup of tea.



Titan Arm looks and sounds like part of a superhero's costume, but its creators say it's designed for ordinary people - those who need either physical rehabilitation or a little extra muscle for their job.

In technical terms, the apparatus is an untethered, upper-body exoskeleton; to the layman, it's essentially a battery-powered arm brace attached to a backpack.



Titan Arm's cost-efficient design has won the team accolades and at least $75,000 (£45,580) in prize money.

'They built something that people can relate to,' said Robert Carpick, chairman of University of Pennsylvania's mechanical engineering department.



'Of course it appeals clearly to what we've all seen in so many science-fiction movies of superhuman strength being endowed by an exoskeleton.'



The project builds on existing studies of such body equipment, sometimes called 'wearable robots.'

Research companies have built lower-body exoskeletons that help paralysed people walk, though current models aren't approved for retail and can cost up to $100,000 (£60,780).

Scroll down for video...



A portable Superman?The prize-winning prototype builds on existing research in the field of exoskeletons, an area that experts say will grow as the population ages

HOW DOES THE TITAN ARM WORK?

The Titan Arm focuses on a single mechanised joint - the elbow - giving the user a 40-pound (18kg) boost in strength.

The team decided to use a cable drive system which works in a similar way to the brakes on a bike.

The arm draws power from a battery pack that could be worn on the back, allowing for the mobility they'd set out to achieve. A handheld joystick controls motorised cables that raise and lower the arm; sensors measure the wearer's range of motion to help keep track of their progress.

The Penn students were moved by the power of that concept - restoring mobility to those who have suffered traumas - as well as the idea of preventing injuries in those who perform repetitive heavy-lifting tasks, said team member Nick Parrotta.

'When we started talking to physical therapists and prospective users, or people who have gone through these types of injuries, we just kept on getting more and more motivated,' said Mr Parrotta.



For a project last year, Mr Parrotta and classmates Elizabeth Beattie, Nick McGill and Niko Vladimirov set out to develop an affordable, lightweight suit for the right arm.



They modeled pieces using 3D printers and computer design programs, eventually making most components out of aluminum, Ms Beattie said.



The final product cost less than $2,000 (£1,217) and weighs 18lb (8kg) - less than the backpack that Ms Beattie usually carries.

A handheld joystick controls motorised cables that raise and lower the arm; sensors measure the wearer's range of motion to help track rehab progress.



Titan Arm looks and sounds like part of a superhero's costume. But its creators say it's designed for ordinary people - those who need either physical rehabilitation or a little extra muscle for their job

Since its unveiling, Titan Arm has won the $10,000 (£6,086) Intel Cornell Cup USA and the $65,000 (£39,559) James Dyson Award.



The resulting publicity generated a slew of interest from potential users, including grandparents who find it hard to lift their grandchildren.

'We found out that some people can't even lift a cast-iron pan to cook dinner,' Mr McGill said.

Experts say the aging population represents a potentially big customer base for exoskeletons, which originally were researched for military applications.

Nick McGill, centre, wears the Titan Arm, as he poses alongside his student colleagues Elizabeth Beattie, left, and Nick Parrotta at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia

'There is certainly a market, but it's slowly emerging because the systems are not perfect as yet,' said Paolo Bonato, director of the Motion Analysis Lab at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston.

Titan Arm's design impressed Yong-Lae Park, an assistant professor of robotics at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

He noted, though, that its low cost represent parts only, not the salaries or marketing built into the price of other products.

Mr Park's research is focused on making exoskeletons less noticeable - 'more like a Spider-Man suit than an Iron Man suit,' he said.

The Titan team hopes to refine their prototype, although three members are now busy with graduate studies at Penn and one is working on the West Coast.