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Exobuddy

Heavy-load.

Light-weight.

 

Good gear is essential to guarantee the safety and performance of military personnel. In the last hundred years, the amount of equipment and therefore the total weight being carried by soldiers, has increased dramatically. In some missions soldiers need to carry up to 60 kg of equipment. Even though better equipment offers many benefits, the increase in weight also has a downside: Soldiers suffer from wear and tear on joints and shoulders. Small injuries and pain have a negative effect on the situational awareness increasing the risk of injury during a mission.

 

To increase safety and performance of our military personnel. DEC M&U, TNO and InteSpring took on the “weight challenge”, which has led to the development of the Exobuddy. The Exobuddy is a military exoskeleton that is able to support more than 50% of the soldier’s load, thus reducing pain. A unique feature of the Exobuddy is that no additional batteries or actuators are needed. Exobuddy’s patented technology converts the forward motion of the soldier into a supporting power, reducing heavy-load to light-weight

Exoskeletons

Since its founding in 2006 Intespring has been focussing on gravity compensation.
By using smart mechanisms and efficient energy storage like i.e. springs it is possible to passively exert any preferred force characteristic.

 

This knowledge has resulted in several products and spin-off companies. The BalanceBox, was one of InteSprings first products to hit the market and its patented technology is still owned by a joint venture of InteSpring Holding and her partner Thomas Regout.

In the last four years, InteSpring has been focussing more and more on gravity compensation and force actuation in humans resulting in the development and production of different types of exoskeletons:

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The Laevo exoskeleton. A small lightweight passive exoskeleton that can prevent back injuries. This project resulted in a new joint venture (Laevo B.V.) with the biggest Health Insurance company of the Netherlands (Achmea).

 

 

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The Exobuddy. A semi-passive exoskeleton that supports backpacks of military personnel. It’s becoming the smallest and most lightweight exoskeleton in the world that supports high payloads (up to 60 kg).

 

 

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Medical orthoses. Exerting and adjusting a predefined force-characteristic in lightweight orthoses is especially interesting for rehabilitation purposes. The compact and efficient energy storage mechanisms of InteSpring are used in several design concepts and rehabilitation studies.

How we do it

Innovating by fast iteration

 

InteSpring is often asked to solve problems for which there are no standard solutions (i.e. very compact balancing mechanisms or special orthoses).
The upside is that InteSpring is always operating on the cutting edge of technology in close collaboration with multiple Universities. The downside is that it is hard to predict the lead time, risks, results and costs of something that has nog been invented yet.

 

So how do we offer such a project?

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Phase 0:

Technical and economic feasibility.

Within 40 hours InteSpring will research technical and economic feasibility, answering the following questions:
1.      Are there technical solutions that can solve this problem?
2.     Is it likely that these solutions are also cost-effective?
3.     Is InteSpring the best partner in this project?

If the substantiated answer on all three questions is yes, then InteSpring will offer a quotation for the next phase.

 

Phase 1:

Technology demonstrator.

InteSpring will build a technology demonstrator, that proofs the working principle and functionality of the solution. It will be possible to walk around, touch and experience the solution. This provides insight into the final product. The technology demonstrator is not yet optimized for volume, weight, cost, etc. Are you satisfied? Lets continue with the next phase.

 

Phase 2:

Prototype.

The prototype will be optimized for volume, weight and other criteria, while preserving functionality of the Technology Demonstrator. It provides an accurate view of what is to be expected of the final prototype. The prototype is ideal to demonstrate to your partners and clients.

Prototypes will also be used for the first durability tests and risk assessments to expose vulnerable parts.

 

Phase 3:

Product.

The final product will be optimized for quality, production, costs and usability.

The team

InteSpring ‘s team is optimised to maximise flexibility, innovation, and productivity

Amber Massaar

Office Manager

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Office Manager with a degree in facility- and human resource management. Amber is part of InteSpring since 2015 and she is the oil in the engine called InteSpring. Without Amber all processes and communication would come to a standstill. Amber is on top of all activities in InteSpring and is capable to kindly remind team members on hard deadlines.

Trebsijg vd Wijdeven (MSc)

CTO

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A highly skilled mechatronic engineer with a master degree in hydrodynamics. If it uses electricity, than Trebsijg can hack it. As key designer in the Exobuddy project he was responsible for the working principle as well as troubleshooting in case of any malfunction. The capacity of Trebsijg to build small test setups in a short time frame accelerates every project.

Rogier Barents (MSc)

CEO and co-founder of InteSpring

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Rogier graduated at the Delft University of Technology with a specialization in Bio Mechanical Engineering. Starting as the lead engineer within InteSpring in 2006, he became the CEO in 2010. Rogier is capable to get things done by enabling the team to work within their best capacities. Setting up and managing innovative projects is Rogiers talent.

Frank Baas (MSc)

Industrial Designer and Senior Engineer

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Frank has over seven years of work experience as an Industrial Design Engineer. He optimized and launched several Medical Products for different companies. Since 2016 he is a part of the InteSpring team, specializing in project management as well as improving the balancing- and force calculation software of InteSpring. Frank is a typical all-round engineer who is capable to quickly understand the true challenge of the customer and to come up with innovative ideas to tackle that challenge.

Coen Greidanus (MSc)

Senior Mechatronics Engineer

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Coen has a passionate interest for all things high-tech. Combined with two right hands, an ingrained methodical work ethic, and ample brain capacity, this makes him an excellent contribution to the team. With over 5 years of experience and 4 patents to his name, he heads all hydraulic and mechatronic designs.

Consultancy

Research, articles, patents and consultancy; all leading to new products

 

Besides the development of Exoskeletons, InteSpring is still working on projects where she develops smart balancing devices for other purposes.
A lot of products are heavy to operate and by gravity compensation or by exerting force through i.e. springmechanisms it is possible to make products function better, faster, lighter and safer.

Contact

Stay up to date with the latest progress?

InteSpring B.V.
Patrijsweg 24
2289 EX  Rijswijk
The Netherlands

info@intespring.nl

+31(0)152577008

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