Replacing human workers with robots is easier said than done. The development and production of robots is expensive, and even modern technology is still limited enough that humans outperform robots in just about everything. So it’s clear that robots won’t be replacing us anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be useful to us still. In fact, many companies have been working on ways to have humans and robots work together to be more efficient, and a new exoskeleton known as the Robo-Mate aims to do just that by making whoever is wearing it super strong. 

It’s safe to say that robotics are the way of the future. People have been claiming that for years, true, but with advancements in 3D printing, power supplies and overall design, science fiction isn’t all that far removed from reality. Over the past few years, technology has been advancing at an incredible rate – it might not be all that long before your car is driving itself, or it’s possible to control an entire house with an iPhone. One of these technologies is the exosuit: essentially, it works as a robotic frame around the body for the purpose of augmenting the users’ abilities. Such suits have been in the works for years, but again, rapid advancement in technology is helping make this tech a reality. If you need any proof, just look at the European technology firm Fraunhofer IAO. Recently, Fraunhofer IAO held its first public demonstration of its exoskeleton, the Robo-Mate. While it’s clearly still in a prototype state, the benefits are immediately noticeable: the Robo-Mate can increase a user’s strength up to 10 times, making manual labor and heavy lifting a breeze. The Robo-Mate first entered development back in 2013, and since then, 12 different research facilities from seven different European nations have helped collaborate on what they call “the first exoskeleton for industry.” Fraunhofer IAO claims that the Robo-Mate can make a 30-pound car seat feel like it’s just 3 pounds, and it’s all thanks to how the suit wraps around most of the users’ body.