Team EXO
Developing a Practical Exoskeleton for Firefighters
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We are Team EXO, a group of undergraduate researchers made up of STEM majors, primarily engineering students. We are students in the Gemstone Honors College, which is a 4-year undergraduate research program in which students propose research projects, form teams, and then conduct their own research. Our team mentor is Dr. Peter B. Sunderland of the Fire Protection Engineering Department here at UMD.
Our team formed in Spring 2022 and we are all enthusiastic about creating an exoskeleton to protect firefighters. We hope that we can contribute to this field and further the goal of having a device that can both prevent injuries and save lives. |
Our mission is to design and prototype a practical exoskeleton for use in fire fighting situations. About 70% of firefighters in the United States are volunteers, risking their lives to help save others. One of the leading causes of injury to fire fighters in the United States is bodily strain and exertion from the weight of their equipment. In our research, we hope to make their jobs less dangerous by providing them with specially designed exoskeletons to reduce the amount of wear and tear on their bodies in an emergency situation. |
Since starting on our project, we have made a lot of progress towards our goal. We have completed several different interviews with firefighter personnel to try to assess what exactly we need for an exoskeleton. We also generated a list of requirements that we want the exoskeleton to be capable of.
We have also created a design and started rapid prototyping. We had a period of thinking and drawing out our design, and very quickly began putting together a few iterations of working proofs of concept in our newly assigned lab in the JM Patterson Building. Our first true working proof of concept, the EXO Mk0 was completed in fall 2023. We then began some testing and redesigning. By Spring 2023, we had created the EXO Mk1, our second prototype. This version saw many improvements, including to mobility, comfort, and form factor. The new version also incorporates fire resistant materials such as 3D printed nylon, as well as a weight belt to allow the user to brace. It also fits much more snugly, and is able to be put on and taken off very quickly, which is important for firefighters. |