Suit gives power to clean-up workers

A power assist suit to help workers following a serious nuclear accident has been jointly developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Japan Atomic Power Company. The device enables workers to lift loads up to 40kg.

A power assist suit to help workers following a serious nuclear accident has been jointly developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Japan Atomic Power Company. The device enables workers to lift loads up to 40kg.

The power assist suit developed by MHI and JAPC (Image: MHI)

In a 1 December statement, MHI said that following a nuclear accident, the use of remotely controlled robots is preferred for conducting work in environments with high radiation. However, before such robots can be deployed, workers wearing protective suits must still carry out tasks such as clearing debris and installing back-up power supplies.

MHI said it has developed the lightweight and compact power assist suit to allow a variety of heavy work tasks to be carried out by combining the power of both humans and robots.

The power assist suit comprises two parts - a base section for the lower body and a section for the upper body. The total height of the suit is 1.5 metres and it weighs some 39kg. It is powered by a lithium battery that allows continuous operation for up to two hours.

The suit enables the wearer to carry loads up to 40kg whilst walking at speeds of up to 4.5 kilometres per hour. Unlike other power assist suits, it is controlled by sensors on the soles of the wearer's footwear. This, MHI claims, means the suit's operation is not affected by perspiration, even during heavy labour. Control of the suit can be optimized for particular tasks by adjusting the number and location of sensors, the company said.

MHI said it will continue working to improve the performance of the power assist suit. Although the suit has been developed specifically for the nuclear industry, the company hopes to find applications in other fields.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News