Faulhaber Motors Power Exoskeleton
How a collaborative engineering effort between SuitX and Faulhaber created an active exoskeleton built for safety, stamina, and freedom of movement.
Published October 26, 2026
The IX BACK VOLTON actively relieves physical strain during demanding lifting and bending tasks in industrial environments.
Wearable, robotic support has long been more than a vision of the future – it can now be found in everyday working life. Especially in logistics and production environments where physical stress is part and parcel of day-to-day business, the demand for solutions that provide targeted support for humans without restricting them is growing.
"The IX BACK VOLTON was developed in response to the desire to offer our customers more: a motorized solution that meets their needs beyond that which is possible with a purely passive exoskeleton," explains Pascal Schwedhelm, Head of Global SuitX Operations and R&D. "We wanted to develop a more intelligent device – optimized for dynamic activities, with minimum resistance when bending down and distinct support when straightening up."
The result is an exoskeleton that actively relieves the spine and integrates with natural movements of the body. The system fits discreetly against the body, providing the wearer with additional support. With a total weight of 5.7 kilograms including battery, the IX BACK VOLTON supports the wearer's back with up 17 kilograms per lifting operation.
At its core is an adaptive intelligence, which adjusts the support dynamically and in real time. The exoskeleton adapts the amount of force required to the situation in hand. This ensures that the wearer feels supported rather than impeded, even in the case of highly dynamic tasks. This not only reduces fatigue and the risk of injury, but also also increases efficiency and endurance in the work process.
Essentially, the IX BACK VOLTON supports the hips of the wearer with a specific torque. This torque makes it easier for the upper body to return to an upright position after a bending activity. The result: the back muscles are significantly relieved, the strain on the spine is reduced and therefore also the risk of overexertion and injuries in day-to-day work. As the exoskeleton is used directly on the human body, particularly high requirements apply. It must be comfortable, operate smoothly, function reliably and intuitively, and always orient itself to the intended movement of the wearer. At the same time, the system must meet all relevant safety requirements
In addition to reducing the risk of injury, the IX BACK VOLTON also makes a measurable contribution to increasing efficiency. A major factor is the frame construction on the wearer's back: It offers great freedom of movement and a high degree of wearing comfort. At the same time, this design allows parcels and loads to be carried close to the upper body – a key advantage when lifting, carrying and moving loads frequently. The exoskeleton is therefore ideal for fast-paced logistics environments with changing tasks, narrow time frames and a diverse workforce. The system is designed to adapt to the wearer – and not vice versa.
Development of the IX BACK VOLTON is the result of interdisciplinary cooperation. The development team included experts from mechanical, electrical, software and biomechanical development. The clear objective: to create a motorized support that feels natural, is powerful and meets the demanding requirements of everyday industrial work. The engineering team from Faulhaber helped develop a customer-specific motor solution that provided high performance, manufacturing quality and the necessary scalability for subsequent serial deployment.
"We chose Faulhaber as a development partner because in our view there was no motor on the market that met our high demands," explains Pascal Schwedhelm. "With its expertise and well-known high quality standards, Faulhaber was our preferred partner right from the very beginning." With a clear vision and profound understanding of the demands of the application, SuitX approached Faulhaber. In close cooperation, a drive solution was thus created that is not only technically impressive, but also integrates seamlessly with the overall system. The joint project demonstrates how cooperative development on an equal footing solves complex challenges – and how an idea can lead to a market-ready product.
Motors such as the Faulhaber BXI series form the technical basis for applications where high force and dynamics with low weight and minimum installation space are required – for example in exoskeletons or the robotic joints of humanoid robots.
The continuous advances in drive and motor technology for exoskeletons open up new possibilities: Systems are becoming lighter, more reliable and of a greater quality than ever before. Developers say this type of technology could easily be used to support other specific body joints and in new industries and markets, including for convalescence and rehabilitation applications.
