DRDO Hosts Inaugural International Exoskeleton Technology Workshop in Bengaluru
1st international workshop on ‘Emerging Technologies & Challenges for Exoskeleton’ organised by DRDO in Bengaluru
The Defence Bio-Engineering & Electromedical Laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has organised the first international workshop on 'Emerging Technologies & Challenges for Exoskeleton' in Bengaluru on April 16-17, 2024. The event was inaugurated by the Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Samir V Kamat, alongside the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), Lt Gen JP Mathew.
In his keynote, Kamat highlighted the transformative potential of exoskeleton technology in both military and civilian domains and called for collaboration among researchers, the armed forces, industry, and academia to advance this innovative field. Lt Gen Mathew discussed the evolution of exoskeleton research, addressing current challenges and the significant role of this technology in rehabilitation and occupational therapy, noting its extensive commercial prospects due to its dual-use nature.
The workshop featured expert insights from prominent academics, including Prof Robert Reiner of ETH Zurich, and Prof Arun Jayaraman of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois. Dr UK Singh, Director General (Life Sciences), emphasised the pressing challenges and the armed forces' requirements, urging a unified approach to advancing exoskeleton technology.
Attended by over 300 participants from various sectors, the workshop underscores the importance of exoskeletons in enhancing human capabilities, reflecting a key step forward in technology development and interdisciplinary cooperation.