China develops its first exoskeleton robot for mine emergency rescue

BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has successfully created its first exoskeleton robot system specifically designed for complex mine environments, marking a significant step toward "human-machine collaborative" rescue operations.

The system is now undergoing industrial testing and has completed three rounds of practical training validation with a national mine rescue team, demonstrating excellent adaptability and stability in underground conditions, China Energy Investment Corporation Co., Ltd. (CHN Energy) said in a press release on Thursday.

The project, initiated in July 2025 by Shendong Coal Group of CHN Energy in partnership with the China Coal Research Institute, addresses critical challenges in mine disaster response, including limited equipment intelligence and constrained individual rescue capabilities.

The robot features an innovative "rigid-flexible coupling" structural design, integrating upper and lower limb power-assist modules with an embedded multi-sensor system and AI controller. This configuration enables efficient human-machine collaboration in underground operations, according to CHN Energy.

Key technical specifications include over six hours of continuous operation, movement recognition accuracy exceeding 95 percent, and a maximum load capacity of 80 kilograms for carrying and dragging. The system reduces human metabolic energy consumption by approximately 20 percent, significantly enhancing rescue personnel's endurance.

Beyond emergency rescue applications, the exoskeleton shows promise for high-intensity mining tasks such as underground material handling and equipment installation.

This achievement contributes to China's energy industry safety technology system and strengthens the modernization of its mine emergency rescue capabilities, CHN Energy noted.