Ben Wolff, who leads Sarcos Robotics, joins Josh on NEXT with John Koetsier to discuss the Guardian XT, a remotely operated robot for hazardous industrial work.
Wolff describes Guardian XT as an upper-body industrial robot that mirrors an operator’s arm and hand movements. The operator directs it remotely, allowing it to work in hazardous, elevated, or confined spaces while the person stays clear.
Sarcos developed the Guardian XO, a wearable full-body system designed to let a person lift as much as 200 pounds. Customer interest in using it from bucket trucks led the company to adapt its upper body for remote operation, including in places such as nuclear facilities.
Wolff points to construction tasks such as welding, sanding, and cutting from elevated platforms, as well as power-line tree work and infrastructure inspection. He says the robot could help address dangerous working conditions and make these jobs more appealing to younger workers. After alpha trials with customers, Sarcos planned beta units by year-end and initial commercial production near the end of the following year.
The robot can be mounted on different bases, including lifts, trucks, or a mobile platform for indoor use. Operators can use a three-finger hand or swap in tools such as a saw or welding torch. Lithium-ion batteries provide about two to three hours of operation, and hot-swappable spares take roughly 10 to 15 seconds to change.
Wolff says a fiber connection currently provides the responsive control needed for precise work. He sees 5G as a way to maintain high bandwidth and low delay without a tether, potentially letting operators in one location manage robots elsewhere. His three-to-five-year vision is a global fleet working alongside human crews.
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