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A few years ago, I worked with a warehouse stocker named John who had injured his back and was looking to get back to full duty. His job was important to him because he had a family to support, which included taking care of an adult son with special needs.
Engineers at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works recently completed a prototype aircraft article that demonstrates how transformational technologies can enable aircraft components to be built more than 50 percent faster, reducing total production time by 20 to 40 percent.
New manufacturing technology should do more than just increase output, efficiency and quality. It should also improve the working conditions and health of the employees.
Many technologies that we take for granted today were originally "invented" in science fiction. These include mobile phones, smart watches, tablet computers, holograms, electric submarines, antidepressants, radio, television, nuclear weapons, lasers, video conferencing, credit cards, wireless headphones, self-driving cars, unmanned aerial vehicles, escalators, radar, automatic doors, Tasers, virtual reality, space travel, individually targeted advertising, and even insect-derived foods.
On some assembly lines, today's MVP is a robotic tool that was originally developed for use on the battlefield. It's called an exoskeleton. The wearable device enables operators to perform a variety of overhead tasks. It minimizes physical strain and boosts efficiency.
SPARTANBURG, SC—Workers at BMW’s automotive assembly plant here are testing an electromechanical exoskeletal vest designed to reduce muscular strain related to performing overhead work.