Labor Protection Exhibition | Chongqing University’s Self-Developed Exoskeleton Robot Empowers Industrial Protection
On the afternoon of March 27, the “E-CORE” series modular exoskeleton robot, independently developed by Professor Xu Qiwei’s team from the School of Electrical Engineering at Chongqing University, was officially unveiled at the Chongqing University Proof of Concept Center in the Shapingba District Digital Technology Park. Capable of being donned and doffed within 30 seconds, this product addresses diverse scenario needs spanning rehabilitation medicine, industrial automation, and logistics handling, turning the concept of “wearing a robot on your body” into reality. Such innovation explorations that integrate human-machine collaboration into occupational protection are echoing the broader trend of intelligent upgrading sweeping through Labor Protection Exhibition.
As a cutting-edge branch of robotics, exoskeleton robots are rapidly transitioning from laboratory environments to real-world applications, demonstrating vast prospects in serving economic and social development while improving production and daily life. Reporters at the scene observed that unlike traditional exoskeletons with their one-piece molded design, this robot adopts a modular architecture comprising four core modules: waist support, hip joint assistance, back traction, and hand protection. These can be flexibly combined according to different job types and operational scenarios, transforming the exoskeleton from a fixed-size garment into a wearable toolkit.
With proficient operation, rapid donning and doffing can be completed within 30 seconds, truly achieving plug and play, Xu Qiwei explained. Performance-wise, the robot possesses sufficient strength to lift an adult and can sustain continuous operation over extended periods. In the rehabilitation medicine field, it can rekindle walking hope for mobility-impaired individuals suffering from lumbar muscle strain and knee joint pain. In industrial manufacturing, it can alleviate workers' waist and back physical load, reduce occupational injury risks, and extend professional career lifespan. In special environments such as emergency rescue and disaster relief, it can protect personnel safety while extending operational capabilities.
Xu Qiwei added that the R&D team is actively constructing a “data, algorithm and exoskeleton” human-machine collaboration solution. By collecting motion data of workers bending, turning, and exerting force, the exoskeleton can not only provide real-time early warnings of occupational injury risks but also furnish decision-making support for enterprises to optimize workstation design and allocate human resources scientifically. This model has already been implemented in sectors including electric power, aerospace, rail transit, and automotive manufacturing.
It is understood that the currently launched inaugural product features a passive design requiring no external power source, making it suitable for long-duration operational scenarios. An active motorized version has also entered late-stage development, with modular switching to be realized in the future.
The emergence of this exoskeleton robot epitomizes the deepening university-locality collaboration between the Chongqing University Proof of Concept Center and Shapingba District. To accelerate the transformation and industrialization of university scientific achievements and address the problem of technologies lacking productization and commercialization validation, the Chongqing University Proof of Concept Center commenced operations in December 2023, becoming the first such center established by a university in Chongqing. Over the past year-plus, the center has established a proof of concept special funding pool, exploring and forming an innovative mechanism of “proof of concept, fund and incubation,” substantially shortening the cycle of scientific achievement transformation. Relying on this model, Chongqing University has successfully incubated 20 enterprises in Chongqing.
Source: https://cqrb.cn/PCruiping/2026-03-28/2618194_pc.html
