Rostec presented the first prototype of a combat exoskeleton equipped with electric motors at the Army-2021 forum. The state corporation is developing jointly with the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TsNIITOCHMASH) and the Research Institute of Mechanics, RIA Novosti reports.
The development can be part of the outfit of the soldier of the future, said in “Rostec”. According to Bekkhan Ozdoev, industrial director of the cluster of weapons, ammunition and special chemistry of the state corporation, the exoskeleton reduces the load on the musculoskeletal system by half, and the energy consumption when walking and running by 15%. “[It] allows you to carry up to 60 kg of cargo and shoot from automatic weapons 20% more accurate,” Ozdoev said.
The exoskeleton works in active and passive modes. The first turns on when a soldier moves over rough terrain or mountains, the physical capabilities of a person are enhanced by servo drives – gearless electric motors powered by batteries. They are equipped with position sensors and foot pressure sensors, due to which the exoskeleton is able to adapt to human characteristics. In passive mode, the development is designed to move on a horizontal surface with a load.
In December 2020, the head of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, said that the developers faced problems when creating batteries for the exoskeleton of the future soldier, Sotnik, and did not rule out that some components would have to be bought.
In 2018, Rostec presented a passive exoskeleton for the Ratnik combat gear system. It is a lever-articulated mechanical device similar to human joints. The exoskeleton is capable of making it easier for a soldier to carry loads weighing up to 50 kg.
