2013 James Dyson award went to The Titan Arm that could help people with back injuries lift objects and regain muscle control or be used by people to lift heavy objects. The device features rigid back brace to maintain posture, shoulder featuring rotational joints and sensors that track motion and relay data back to doctors for remote prognosis. The Titan Arm was designed by mechanical engineering students from University of Pennsylvania, who spent 8 months developing the exoskeleton. These four students receive $48,000 as a reward. They spent approx $2,000 for prototype production (is operated by a separate joystick), which is according to them 1/50 of the typical cost of similar exoskeletons that are on the market. The Titan Arm can augment human weight lifting strength by 18kg and battery can last up to 8 hours.
Via: bbc