Hi, guys! Philip English from RoboPhil.com and today we have an interview with the guys from Innophys, who are telling us about their Muscle Suit.

Philip English – All right guys, it’s Phillip English, again. So, we’re just at another stand at the iREX 2019. We’ve got a gentleman here who’s going to give us an intro into some exoskeletons, and then we’ll run through a bit of a company overview. So, could you introduce yourself?

Shimei Ze – I’m Shimei Ze. I work for this company for sales. I’m selling muscle suits in domestic market.

Philip English – So, what’s the history of the company? Like, tell us a little bit about where you guys have come from.

Shimei Ze – This company starts from 2013. From laboratory, Mr. Kobayashi, in the Tokyo University of Science. And our main product is muscle suits. This product is support your waist. Mainly for nursing, hospital, factory, and agriculture or something like that.

Philip English – All right, okay. And then, is there different sorts of weights then? Or different sorts of strengths?

Shimei Ze – Yes, it’s defined from strengths. In factory or in nursing, in hospital, people have many trouble in waist.

Philip English – Right.

Shimei Ze – Yes. So, our target is this program, this trouble.

Philip English – Right, so when you say waist, so is it the bending over, or is it a certain way that it’s lifted up? And does the exoskeleton give you extra strength? So, I can see that there’s, on some of the information, there’s pieces about giving you extra kilograms. So, is that extra kilograms of more strength? Is that how it works?

Shimei Ze – This muscle suits support 25 kilograms support. And if you went down your body, this support gives the power to 25.5 kilograms.

Philip English – Right. I see. So, it gives you an extra 25 kilograms. Okay, okay. So, the problem is, people with bad, bad, bad waist, so bad lower back, and the idea is that this gives you extra strength so you can pick up more obstacles. Is that work out?

Shimei Ze – If you wear this suit, you can’t, you can’t pick up, for example 100 kilograms back, just support.

Philip English – Oh, okay. So it’s basically a support. It’s a support. So, you mentioned there was an inventor? Like, what was his name? From Tokyo University of Science? There was an inventor who made the product?

Shimei Ze – Professor Kobayashi. Mr. Kobayashi.

Philip English – Right, okay. And then, is he developing the product? Is he making more products?

Shimei Ze – Yes, he’s still developing some products. For example, walking, moving legs for rehabilitation.

Philip English – Oh, okay. So, he’s got, he’s sticking to the rehabilitation line, oversee working down that line?

Shimei Ze – Yes.

Philip English – Okay. So, these units, they’re not powered by electricity. They’re powered by air. Is that right?

Shimei Ze – Yes, this, our products doesn’t use electricity. Only air. So, no need to charge, electric charge, or batteries, for like this.

Philip English – Okay. So, you haven’t got a worry about batteries? You don’t need any batteries? And it’s waterproof as well, did you say? Okay. So, what’s the future? What’s the future idea of the product? Is it gonna get more and more developed? Where does the company see itself in five years time?

Shimei Ze – In future, first our muscle suits, we’ll upgrade for more easy to use, more reasonable, so everyone can buy. And we considering to make for arm support or like this. Not only waist.

Philip English – Right, so the idea is to develop more and more products. More for arms and legs. So, and I think you were saying that, your first one was made in 2013, and then there’s been many different iterations, but then the price has come down?

Shimei Ze – Yes.

Philip English – So, the newer model is a lot cheaper. So it’s a lot more accessible. Is that right?

Shimei Ze – Yes, yes.

Philip English – Right, no, that make’s sense. So, many thanks for like the overview. So what I’ll do guys, I’ll put some links and everything so you guys have a bit more information. I don’t think it’s available in the UK yet. I think it’s a few years away, but, yeah, definitely one to keep out for. Cool. So, thank you very much for your time.

Shimei Ze – Thank you very much.

Philip English – All right, let’s put it on. All right, okay.

Shimei Ze – Pump the air.

Philip English – That pumps the air up? Okay. Okay, oh, I feel it. Yeah, okay. And is there a certain amount of pumping?

Shimei Ze – Uh huh.

Philip English – Okay. Like, when do you know to stop? Or do you just keep going and going?

Shimei Ze – Roughly 40 or 50 times.

Philip English – 40 to 50 times? Okay.

Shimei Ze – And once I’m pumping air, it’s at least one day. No need to pump again. First, I think you try it without support.

Philip English – Oh, right. Okay. So, this is me picking up the thing right here.

Shimei Ze – It’s 20 kilograms.

Philip English – Okay, so this is without support. Okay. And what’s that? 25 kilo… Oh okay, it’s 20 kilos. That’s without support. I’ll put that down. That’ll do my back in. Okay, right, now with support.

Shimei Ze – Yes.

Philip English – With the exoskeleton. Pumped up exoskeleton. All right, we’ll do it again. You have to still bend correctly? Oh, I see. Okay. Okay, I can see. So, you’ve still got the, so you can get it on your shoulders, but the actual bend down piece, you’re certainly protecting your back. And I’ll go all the way down. I mean, you’d have to, you couldn’t run in it, could you? Like you couldn’t run.

Shimei Ze – Oh, can’t run.

Philip English – Yeah, can’t run.

Shimei Ze – So when run, that’s off.

Philip English – Oh, so you take it off?

Shimei Ze – Yes.

Philip English – And then you run. Okay, right.

Shimei Ze – And if you feel difficult to bend, you can adjust your air.

Philip English – Adjust the air then. Oh I see. If it’s too, like, restrictive, you just let it off, and then you pump it up again. Okay, I can definitely see if you’re out in the garden if you’re out doing a lot of, just general tasks and you’ve got a bad back. Okay. Okay, no that’s good. Thank you very much. So that’s me just doing here, guys, like a quick demo. I’ve had a use it. So, I’ll put some more links. Thank you, thank you! Cool.

Innophys: https://innophys.jp/en

InnophysYouTube: https://youtu.be/QB5KKcnwFt8

Philip English: https://philipenglish.com

Sponsor – Robot Center: https://www.robotcenter.co.uk