Exoskeleton suits turn car factory workers into human robots

Hyun wears a Hyundai Medical Exoskeleton (H-MEX) wearable robot at the laboratory in the company's research and development (R&D) center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. As employees age and younger people shun the idea of working on a factory production line, car companies are looking at ways to lighten the load. — Photos: Bloomberg

Wearable technology is taking on a different meaning in the world of automobiles. As employees age and younger people shun the idea of working on a factory production line, car companies are looking at ways to lighten the load.

High-tech exoskeletons are being explored by firms including Hyundai Motor Co, Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co. The technology, initially developed to help people who had lost the ability to walk or stand on their own, eases fatigue and helps prevent injury. It’s particularly useful for repetitive processes that can’t be automated even as robotics makes big inroads into the sector.