Imagine yourself putting on a suit of extra muscles, seeing with super vision and inspired with new skills – with sensors making sure that you don’t overextend yourself. This is the idea behind the project called “HuMan”, which has recently delivered what looks like pure sci-fi technology to partners including an Airbus factory.
European manufacturing represents approximately 22 percent of the GNP of the EU and provides jobs for 34 million in 230 000 enterprises. This part of our economy is under competitive pressure and increased skills and flexibility of the workers is an important countermeasure, says SINTEF researcher and Project Manager Geir K. Hanssen.
In partnership with industry the EU-funded research project HuMan has spent EUR 4.5 million in developing new technology that enable manufacturing workers to “put on” extra muscle power and adopt new cognitive skills. The combination of machine learning, super vision, known among researchers as “augmented reality”and robot technology will equip European companies to compete with low-cost countries such as China and India.
All innovations resulting from the HuMan project have been achieved with close involvement from those who intend to apply the technology.
Source: “This technology will transform you into superman”, Christina Benjaminsen, Norwegian SciTech News
