Source: China International Composites Expo Organizing Committee
Two subsidiaries of South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Group, Kia Motors and Hyundai Motor, have successfully developed the X-ble Shoulder, a mechanical exoskeleton that requires no electrical assistance. It aims to enhance industrial efficiency while reducing the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders.
Operators on automobile production lines often need to work overhead, which can place a prolonged burden on their arms and shoulders. To mitigate this impact on employees, both companies jointly developed the X-ble Shoulder exoskeleton.
Due to its battery-free design and the use of carbon-based composites, the exoskeleton is lightweight and intended to simplify tasks requiring work above head height. By optimizing upper arm muscle strength, the X-ble Shoulder reduces shoulder pressure by 60% and decreases activity in the anterior, posterior, and lateral deltoids by 30%. Weighing approximately 1.9 kilograms, it can be adjusted according to the user’s body type. Its length can be adjusted between 406 mm and 446 mm, ensuring full arm mobility from 0° to 180°.
The X-ble Shoulder’s assistive force is generated by a patented multi-arm structure integrated into the muscle compensation module. Each arm of this structure can be independently adjusted to ensure optimal assistive force in different work environments. The module is designed for approximately 700,000 folding and unfolding operations annually in industrial settings.
Its target applications span multiple industries, including automotive, but also construction, shipbuilding, aviation, and agriculture.
“The X-ble Shoulder is a portable robot that leverages all the technical capabilities of our robotics lab while considering real-user feedback,” explained Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Director of Kia and Hyundai’s Robotics Lab.
Around 300 employees and health managers working in Kia and Hyundai factories participated in pilot tests conducted between 2022 and 2024. Their suggestions, particularly regarding ease of operation, comfort, arm mobility, assistive force adjustment, and ease of cleaning, were considered for product improvements and new feature additions.
The robot will initially be deployed in Kia and Hyundai factories. Starting in 2025, it will expand to 27 subsidiaries of the Hyundai Motor Group and other enterprises in South Korea. In 2026, Kia and Hyundai plan to enter foreign markets, particularly Europe and North America, and expand sales into other sectors such as construction, shipbuilding, aviation, and agriculture.
The X-ble Shoulder is the first product in the X-ble series—where “X” symbolizes infinite potential and “-ble” is a prefix indicating ability to do anything. Kia and Hyundai have announced a wearable industrial robot called X-ble Waist for lumbar assistance in heavy lifting and an X-ble MEX wearable medical robot specifically for helping people with walking difficulties in rehabilitation training.
