ExoM

2024: Product Announcement

At the end of January 2024, the German company Mehler Protection presented the ExoM armored exoskeleton, developed in collaboration with the Canadian technology firm Mawashi Science & Technology. The novelty is designed for soldiers, police officers, employees of special assault units, etc.

Armored panels are located throughout the exoskeleton. They provide ballistic protection in accordance with the European standard VPAM 8. This means that the product is guaranteed to withstand the hit of three 7.62 mm bullets from a Kalashnikov assault rifle, fired from a distance of about 10 meters. Mehler Protection does not disclose the type of ballistic material used and the total weight of the exoskeleton as of the end of January 2024.

Mehler Protection

It is noted that the titanium frame of the exoskeleton redistributes up to 70% of the total load from the user's shoulders. Thanks to this, soldiers and police of tactical units can carry a lot of heavy equipment with them. At the same time, it is claimed that ExoM's flexible spine, sliding waist belt and articulated hip, knee and ankle joints guarantee the user to maintain up to 99% of the usual range of motion.

The ExoM is a passive exoskeleton: it does not use any motorized drives, as well as rechargeable batteries, which can be difficult to charge in the field or during long missions. The lack of power supplies also ensures that the exoskeleton does not cease to perform its functions at the most inopportune moment - for example, during a combat operation. The novelty is expected to be used by officers of the French tactical police GIGN (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale).^[1]

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