Uiwang, South Korea

As industries continue to seek innovative solutions to improve workplace safety and efficiency, Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled the X-ble Shoulder, a groundbreaking wearable robotic device designed to assist workers performing physically demanding tasks.

Τhis exoskeleton is engineered to reduce muscle strain and enhance endurance, particularly for tasks involving repetitive overhead movements.

By utilizing a patented multi-link mechanism, the X-ble Shoulder reduces shoulder load by up to 60% and minimizes deltoid muscle strain by 30%, significantly decreasing the risk of workplace injuries.

Designed for durability and adaptability, this robotic assistive device represents a leap forward in industrial wearables, marking a new era where technology seamlessly supports human capability.

For its design qualities, the X-ble Shoulder has been awarded a 2024 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The X-ble Shoulder only has a vest and a pair of mechanical parts. Simply wear the robot like a vest, tighten the belt around your body, and wear cuffs around your arms.

This intuitive and easy-to-wear method contains the opinions of more than 150 car manufacturing site workers.

X-ble Shoulder is also the closest robot to clothing. It is designed in the form of a vest so that workers can put it on and take it off intuitively.

The robot also reduces the activity of the deltoid muscles used during work by at least 18-30%.

The shape of the clothing not only makes it easy to put on and take off, but also allows you to rest comfortably while wearing it.

The frame that firmly supports the arms spreads left and right in the sitting position, and when the worker puts down the arms to rest, the assistive force of the gravity compensation module weakens.

Because the robot operates with the physical force of springs rather than a motor, there is no need to turn the power on or off or charge.

Mesh was applied to a large area of the vest to minimize discomfort of getting hot and sweaty while working.

In addition, all parts that touch the human body, such as arm pads, are made of clothing material and can be washed separately, thereby maintaining a comfortable and sanitary working environment.

Project: X-ble Shoulder
Designers: Robotics LAB, Hyundai Motor Group
Design Team: Junghyun Min, Sookyoung Kang, Hyeonjeong An, Hanwool Choi, and Hongseok Kim
Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor Group