The Apogee+ exoskeleton aims to help support caregivers in healthcare settings. | Source: German Bionic
German Bionic has unveiled the Apogee+, a powered exoskeleton for the North American healthcare market. Apogee+ aims to merge cutting-edge robots with research-backed, data-driven insights to better support caregivers.
Apogee+ is designed to provide personal lift assistance to caregivers, and it specifically addresses concerns with care worker safety and job satisfaction. This is German Bionic’s first foray into the healthcare space, and the mover underscores its success in industrial settings.
“State-of-the-art equipment significantly contributes to making nursing and care professions more appealing,” Norma Steller, Chief Product Officer at German Bionic, said. “And therefore, it aids hospitals and care facilities in their pursuit of attracting and retaining a qualified and motivated workforce.”
Apogee+ provides active assistance during lifting and walking, offering up to 66 lbs (30 kg) of back relief with every lift. The exoskeleton also features integrated grips that aim to enhance the ease of lifting and repositioning patients, helping to streamline daily caregiving tasks.
The exoskeleton is also dust and waterproof up to IP54, giving caregivers greater flexibility when washing or showering patients. It comes equipped with extensive reporting functions to help caregivers with the set-up and management of their workplace.
“With its full range of features, our new Apogee+ power suit is designed to help ease the extremely demanding working conditions in these system-critical professions, making the jobs safer and more sustainable,” Armin G. Schmidt, CEO and founder of German Bionic, said. “Based on our early success in the European market, we firmly believe that our smart exosuits will soon become an indispensable part of everyday practice at health clinics and nursing homes here in the U.S.”
The Apogee+ also offers users a high level of comfort due to its small, lightweight, and slim design. The design allows it to flexibly adapt to different movements and be worn in various environments. The exoskeleton is also easy to disinfect. It has a monocoque external framework, giving it less surface area for bacteria and germs to accumulate.
German Bionic offers both purchase and leasing options for the Apogee+.
It’s about time that a device was created for care givers around the world that stops them from getting back injuries all you guys need to do now is make it affordable.
I’ve seen six of these in the last 26 years.
Go back to 1996, and you’ll find one that’s not exoskeleton but uses existing muscle and bone to allow people to walk.
I worked for an R&D company once, working on the stuff. And it never got out the door.
Why do you think this stuff never works out? Bandwidth limitations? Learning curve for the user?