**3.1.1 Power augmentation**

"Power Effector" developed by MMSE Project Team is a robot which augments the strength of a part of human body, but its concept is different from others. Most wearable robots must be compact and light in order to be comfortable for the users and be suitable for the surroundings which are designed for the dimensions of the human body. On the other hand, another approach is to be bigger and heavier so that operations can be carried out which a person itself could never accomplish. Mr. Katsuya Kanaoka, Ritsumeikan Univ. has proposed the concept "Man-Machine Synergy Effector" (MMSE), which combines flexible human skills with precision and high power of machines [11]. "Power Effector" can amplify human power 1 to several thousand times. This Technology is expected to be introduced to heavy physical work that is not programmable and requires not only powerfulness but also intelligence, facility, and experience.


Power Effector: Scanned from Takashi, Y. (2005) Collected Data on Partner Robot Technologies, NTS. INC.

120 The Future of Humanoid Robots – Research and Applications

In this section we outline several examples of each of the categories introduced above. All examples contain information about the developing institution and about the systems' performance. We also go into the target groups and the development stage of each system. Each category is introduced by a short description of the status quo in the field. Further, we

Element technologies are basic technologies that can be applied as standalone systems or combined as sub-elements to more complex subsystems. We denote technologies for power augmentation, sensing and motion augmentation and cognition augmentation as element

"Power Effector" developed by MMSE Project Team is a robot which augments the strength of a part of human body, but its concept is different from others. Most wearable robots must be compact and light in order to be comfortable for the users and be suitable for the surroundings which are designed for the dimensions of the human body. On the other hand, another approach is to be bigger and heavier so that operations can be carried out which a person itself could never accomplish. Mr. Katsuya Kanaoka, Ritsumeikan Univ. has proposed the concept "Man-Machine Synergy Effector" (MMSE), which combines flexible human skills with precision and high power of machines [11]. "Power Effector" can amplify human power 1 to several thousand times. This Technology is expected to be introduced to heavy physical work that is not programmable and requires not only powerfulness but also

> Power Effector: Scanned from Takashi, Y. (2005) Collected Data on Partner Robot Technologies, NTS. INC.

outline applications in construction and building technology for each category.

**3. Examples according to system complexity** 

**3.1 Element technology** 

**3.1.1 Power augmentation** 

intelligence, facility, and experience.

**Developer** MMSE Project Team

**Purpose** Augmentation of the

**Height** 1550 mm **Width** 1200 mm **Length** 3360 mm **Weight** 120 kg

**Output** Arm: 50 kgf, Grip: 500 kgf

Screw **Power Supply** AC Power Supply **Sensor** 6-Axis Force Sensor

Katsuya Kanaoka, Ritsumeikan University

strength in upper limbs

AC Servo Motor, Ball

**Power Effector** 

**Leading Researcher** 

**Driving System** 

technologies.


Application in Construction: Pre-fabrication, handling and assembly of heavy building components in factory and on-site installation of heavy panels to walls and facades.

Left: Copyright T. Bock, Right: Copyright T. Bock Komatsu Construction Machinery Division, applied at Kajima Construction

Fig. 6. Left: handling robot used in building prefabrication, Germany. Right: Power Effector used in high-rise construction for façade element installation, Japan.

Exoskeleton and Humanoid Robotic Technology in Construction and Built Environment 123

Application in Construction: Support of workers simple and continuous movements such as grasping control sticks or lifting heavy building materials up. Enabling weakened workers

Wearable computing systems are systems which are attached to a person's body during use. A main goal of researchers and developers is that this systems work seamlessly in the background. They shall assist a person in various situations but not distracting him or the environment - at the best they are invisible. Wearable Computing technologies have initially been developed for monitoring astronauts: Life Guard [14] by NASA and Stanford University, USA, Health Gear [15] by Microsoft Research, E-Watch [16] by Technical University of Munich, Germany and Carnegie Melon University, USA, V-Mote [17] by Virginia Commonwealth University. Today, wearable computing systems are increasingly applied in the industry and service scenarios. A multitude of applications are envisioned in the military, too. This category "Wearable Computing" mainly represents technologies that support or augment human sight, hearing and cognition but not human's physical motion power. Compared to mobile robots and humanoids, these wearable computing devices generally have a lower degree of autonomy as they are directly connected to the human

Application in Construction: Augmented and Mixed Reality applications can support workers off-site and on-site to perform assembly operations. Wearable sensors devices attached to workers can be used to monitor their construction acidity as well as their health. Various AR and MR application have been developed at the laboratory of the authors in a

Power Assist Glove: http://www.smrj.go.jp/incubation/odplus/labolist/055057.html

**Power Assist Glove** 

**Leading Researcher** 

**Technology Readiness** 

**Developer** Okayama University

**Target User** Elderly and female

**Purpose** Assist for bending motion,

force

because of aging or injuries continue to work.

**Actuator** Two-Joint Curved

**Weight** 120 g

**3.1.3 Cognition augmentation** 

activity.

project called MARY [18].

Noritsugu Toshiro

Prototype, Research and Development Project

workers, Heavy workers

Augment of the grasping

Pneumatic Rubber Artificial Muscle

Left: Copyright T. Bock, Telerobotic Caisson Construction Project, Right: Copyright T. Bock, MITI Chikakukan Project, 1985

Fig. 7. Tele-operated Power Effectors used in mining, Japan
