NEWS
PROJECT MARCH
HARMONIC DRIVE
GETTING BACK ON YOUR FEET
Many of us could not begin to fathom the
feeling of being told we may never walk
again, but for one motorcycle enthusiast this
was his reality.
Here, Graham Mackrell, managing director of
precision gearing specialist Harmonic Drive
UK, explains how the company has worked
with Project MARCH to help people get back
on their feet.
Simple daily activities such as standing and
climbing the stairs can prove challenging, if
not impossible, for anyone who may have
a paralysed lower body and is bound to a
wheelchair. For spinal cord injuries, scientists
have created the exoskeleton, which is
motorised robotic armour that can be used
to help people regain mobility.
In 2005, Ruben de Sain was told he would
never walk again following a serious
motorbike incident.
As part of a rehabilitation programme,
Ruben used an exoskeleton and was able to
raise enough money from a crowdfunding
campaign to buy his own suit and better
support himself physically.
The research and technology for
exoskeletons is currently underdeveloped.
This led Ruben to connect with a team of
students at Delft University of Technology,
called Project MARCH, who are working
to address the challenges and construct
armour that can be comfortably worn and
even win competitive competitions like the
Cybathlon.
Project MARCH aims to change the lives
of wheelchair users like Ruben, but the
students behind the project cannot do
this alone. Having heard Ruben’s story and
the vision of Project MARCH, the team at
Harmonic Drive AG partnered with the two
to boost the technology in the armour.
To offer the wearer as much comfort as
possible, the suit needs to be light but still
offer stability. Based on these requirements,
it was agreed that Harmonic Drive would
integrate its CSD Series into the exoskeleton.
Primarily designed for the robotic and
semiconductor market, the CSD Series offers
short axial length and low weight, basic
design requirements for the exoskeleton.
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With the ability to perform equally as well in
demanding, high precision appli cations, the
simple installation means that users can take
advantage of the low weight and compact
size to easily absorb high loads.
Since the collaboration, Project MARCH has
competed in the Cybathlon and passed vital
practical tests.
While there are still further improvements
to be made to the armour, the latest
exoskeleton created by the students at
Project MARCH demonstrates a leap forward
in the technology that will get more people
mobile in the future, one step at a time.
If you’re working on a specialist
project like Project MARCH
or require a gear that offers
short axial length and low
weight, speak to one of the
representatives at Harmonic
Drive on +44 (0) 1785 245 190.