ATOUN Inc., a Panasonic group company based in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, will showcase two kinds of “powered wear” from January 8 to 11 at CES 2019 (*1) in the AI & Robotics area at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) South Hall 2 (Booth No. 27018). In the booth visitors can try on the two types of exoskeletons: Powered Wear ATOUN MODEL Y that assists bending and stretching of the waist and Powered Wear HIMICO (prototype) that is designed to support walking.
Since ATOUN started domestic sales of “ATOUN MODEL Y” in July 2018, it has been well received and the company has already secured orders for 160 units of them. From January next year, ATOUN will start selling the Powered Wear ATOUN MODEL Y to overseas markets. The company is planning to expand sales to Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the future, starting with sales to ST Logistics Pte. Ltd., one of the biggest logistics companies in Singapore.
The walk-assist Powered Wear HIMICO (prototype) has been proving effective in various conditions. For example, HIMICO provides assist up to 19.0% in hill walking, up to 17.8% in climbing stairs and up to 30.7% in walking on rough terrain (sandy land in this case) (*2), achieving basic functions at practical level. Aiming for more comfortable fitting and usability, ATOUN pursues an assist control method taking into individual differences such as walking posture and habits. In addition, the company will further reduce the size and weight, with plans to start test marketing in the next fiscal year that starts on April 1, 2019.
ATOUN will continue providing “Powered Wear” that supports the daily life and work of people with the concept of “aun” – harmony on a mental and physical level between two parties, such as humans and robots.