Lee Nam-hyun, in his twenties was an avid swimmer. In 2004, he was paralysed from the shoulders down after sustaining a broken neck in a swimming pool. His injuries were not easily treated and required many years of rehabilitation.His lifelong passion for singing was also temporarily stopped by the accident. Opera and K-pop are his favorite songs, so being able sing again was one of his top goals. He couldn't cough because he had limited lung capacity and core muscles. He said that singing was like whining or a whisper when he tried it.He says that the singing I did before and afterwards was totally different. After being injured, I couldn't keep up with the tones, sounds and beats. It was unlistenable.Two years later, a doctor forced him to cough using his diaphragm. He discovered that pressing down on his abdomen could make a louder sound.A decade later, Lee learned from therapists that a prototype device was being made for this purpose. Lee started working with the biorobotics laboratory at Seoul National University. Exo-Abs would be the final name of the device. It is the first robot device to automatically apply pressure to the abdomen to aid people in breathing, speaking, coughing, speaking, and singing.The device was created as a class project and the creators hope to make it a commercial product. After Kim Hyuk-gun, a popular singer, was struck by a car and left paralysed in 2012, the robotics lab began to work on the prototype. Kim was the lead singer of the Cross, which is still a very popular band in South Korean karaoke bars. Kim is known for his loud singing style, which can sometimes sound like shouting. Two years after his injury, he started working with the biorobotics laboratory on a device that would allow him to sing at a similar volume. Researchers discovered that patients with spinal cord injuries often require help to not only move their limbs but also respiratory therapy.Cho Kyu-jin, a professor at Seoul National University, stated that when you exhale, you are basically pushing your belly and reducing the volume of your lungs.Cho is the director of the Soft Robotics Research Center, a university biorobotics laboratory that draws inspiration from nature, including the human body. Cho also designed Exo-Abs and Exo-Glove. This robotic hand is a glider that looks like a ladybug. It also simulates water skimmers. They are also known as Jesus bugs due to their ability to walk on water.He says that all wearable robots are about moving the legs and limbs. The Exo-Abs device is unique because it changes the volume of your entire body.Patients with neurological disorders or strokes often require ongoing care. This includes respiratory therapy. Breathing problems can cause pneumonia or premature death. Exo-Abs is a device that allows people to breathe through a mask. However, the Exo-Abs creators believe their device will one day replace ventilators.Exo-Abs are able to be hidden under a shirt, unlike other devices that might require the use of a ventilator or face mask. The backpack can be attached to the wheelchair's back and houses the machines that operate the device. Exo-Abs' current version has bands that are placed across the chest, midsection and abdomen to measure breathing and press against the diaphragm.Exo-Abs basically changes the volume of your entire body. Cho Kyu Jin, director, Soft Robotics Research Center at Seoul National UniversityThis is the third Exo-Abs version. The first version was controlled manually by the user using a joystick. It had to be connected to a power source. For people suffering from COPD, the second version was a backpack model that could be used to assist them in climbing stairs and other tasks.By applying pressure to the midsection, the Exo-Abs can help paralyzed individuals sing.Exo-Abs' latest version uses artificial intelligence to regulate pressure at a person's midsection. Sensors feed the AI, including a microphone to detect when someone is speaking and an elastic tube that wraps around the waist to monitor blood pressure. It takes into account the user's physical condition, their abdominal cavity stiffness, and their activity. Singing, which requires a lot more effort than just sitting still and engaging in conversation, can be more stressful than singing opera.Lee Sang-yoep is a PhD student at Seoul National University and works with Cho. He envisions other uses of Exo-Abs such as syncing artificial abs to music, or singing puzzle games such One Hand Clapping.
