The Golden Handcuffs Only Get Tighter - Hallie Crawford

The Golden Handcuffs Only Get Tighter I really enjoy the clients I get to know and the stories that I hear in my group coaching calls. In one of my calls last week, my client Lori, shared with us that her job had gotten better for her. Over holidays last year she even received a raise.   Throughout our coaching she has taken action steps to help honor her values in life, and as a result she is beginning to feel a little bit more fulfilled at work. However, she says this isnt the ideal job for her long-term. The risk here is that she could become complacent, and slack off in her search for the ideal job. This happens to a lot of people because it can be more comfortable in some ways to stay put. Lori wouldn’t have a problem if her job was a long-term fit for her, but she knows it isnt and eventually would like to find an ideal career that can be long-term. Even if she isnt moving forward as quickly as before in her search, I have suggested to her that she keeps the momentum going. It is better to have a plan, even if you dont execute it, than settle and find yourself stuck there for another 5 years! This happened to me by the way. I got stuck in my transition job for 8 more months than I had planned to because I got too comfortable and complacent! I joke with people that I feel like the dentist; too many people wait to contact me when theyre in extreme pain and ready to quit. I wish everyone would contact me well before they are in crisis. The transition is so much easier when you have the time and space to plan. Dont let this be you. Think about your 6 month dentist cleanings (that you might be skipping…); there is a reason why the dentist wants to see you every 6 months. He doesn’t want you waiting until you have a big problem and are hurting. Another group coaching client, Joe, said it best on our call that day to Lori: The golden handcuffs only get tighter. Click here to watch my YouTube video on this topic. Career Coach P.S. Contact us for a complimentary phone consultation if you’d like help identifying your ideal career.

Writing a Professional Engineering Resume

Writing a Professional Engineering ResumeA recent study conducted by a union and the Engineering Student Professional Association revealed that about twenty-five percent of all engineering graduates who have graduated from colleges and universities in the last few years are employed. If you are an engineer who has completed your undergraduate or master's degree in engineering and currently job hunting, you may want to consider including your resume as part of your search. Your resume is your key to a better career. Unfortunately, many employers won't even see your resume unless they ask for it, so make sure you include it in your job hunt.You can also find employment placement services that will guide you through the interviewing process and give you professional resume tips. Your resume is going to be a very important part of your job hunt. It can literally open the door to a better future. You want to have a professional resume that sets you apart from the other candidates.Building a new career can be a major undertaking, but in order to get started, you need a plan to move forward. Your resume is going to be your roadmap to success. You need to make sure you present your resume in a professional manner.A resume is your most important tool when it comes to getting a job. There are hundreds of thousands of different resumes being submitted every day, so it is important to choose one that is appropriate for your specific situation. Since you are applying for a job in engineering, this means you will need to write a resume that shows your strengths and skills in engineering and presents your future plans. A good engineering resume that includes relevant educational information and accomplishments is the best way to get your first job.Another great way to get your resume noticed is to submit it to a few engineering jobs or as many as possible's online job posting. When you post your resume on one of these sites, you can build a reputation in the industry. This wi ll allow you to know that you are someone who is not just listing themselves as an engineer but are really doing something that is considered to be valuable and a professional in the industry.Join some online communities and get a feel for what others are looking for. Use networking to get noticed as well. The more networking you do, the more job you will get.Now that you know how important your resume is, think about how it can help you achieve your realistic career goals. A professional engineer resume will get you noticed and is the only way to get your dream job.

The Number One Article on Resume Writing Gaurantee

The Number One Article on Resume Writing Gaurantee Your own personal return to author is merely an email away. Use the above mentioned letter to earn your work simpler. Nowadays you tell the remainder of the best of your story. You also ought to tailor your resume to demonstrate the way your work experience specifically meets the requirements of the job which you're applying for. On the flip side, once the work applicant has strong experience, there is not any need to depend on the academic training any longer and it doesn't need to get mentioned. Taking the opportunity to work on your resume is vital. For instance, if your education history isn't specifically linked to the job, put it toward the conclusion of your resume, behind the info that's linked to the job. It's crucial that you customize each cover letter to the job that you're applying. It's therefore imperative to customized your application to the work announcement as, contrary to the majority of civilian busine sses, the Federal Government is extremely strict in regard to candidates closely matching qualifications. For people who chose the RUSH option, the very first draft was delivered the next moment. The Unexpected Truth About Resume Writing Gaurantee So once you're contemplating how to compose a resume, don't forget that you need to be selling your abilities and accomplishments, not only listing your work history and your old responsibilities. Our talent is to assist you to sell your talents. Once you are aware of how to compose a great resume, you can find the interview that you dream about. The objective of your resume is to secure you a work interview. Among the benefits of pursuing a resume service over the internet is the ease of call. The easy-to-use on-line tool makes it quick and hassle-free to produce your very own personalized perfect resume. The attractiveness of ordering a resume service on the internet is that you're leveraging the simplicity and ease of email and the net. Then you will get access to our online resume desktop by which you are able to contact customer service to receive your 12-hour rush. Who Else Wants to Learn About Resume Writing Gaurantee? You have to tailor your resume to each work application so that it responds to the particular demands of the job which you're applying for. Some resume formats conform to a particular kind of employment. After you determine the skills you need to concentrate on, do a bit of research and see whether they line up with job requirements listed for the positions you're seeking. At times the Skills and Accomplishments section is an individual section.

Mailing Equipment Solutions for Small Businesses

Mailing Equipment Solutions for Small BusinessesClaudio Divizia/Shutterstock Direct mail marketing isnt always considered a viable option in 2019, but direct mail marketing can work. According to Marketing Sherpa, 76% of customers trust direct mail when making purchasing decisions. Thats higher than numerous digital marketing methods, including verbunden banner ads, ads embedded in social media and sponsored deutsche deutsche post ag dhls online. Direct mail can be successful in 2019.If your geschftlicher umgang relies on direct mail or it wants to start relying on direct mail, its worth investing in small geschftsleben postage solutions. Many affordable options exist, and nearly all of them can save you time and money.For small to medium-sized geschftliches miteinanderes receiving frequent mail, you might want to purchase several tools to improve the efficiency of your operation. If your business is looking to ship packages out of its location, you can i nvest in scales with postage-printing capabilities to avoid the post office altogether.The sortiment of small business postage tools is wide and includes everything from inexpensive letter openers to more costly shipping software solutions. What you decide to purchase depends on your business needs. What to look for in direct mail solutionsWhen looking at direct mail solutions, there are a few key areas to focus on. First, look at how frequently your business sends and receives mail. Do you send direct mail advertisements or information once a week? Do you send mail daily? Your need for mail solutions will vary based on how often you send and receive mail.Businesses that send and receive large quantities of mail may want to invest in shipping software, letter openers and folding machines. Smaller firms that dont use mail frequently dont need those same tools.Youll also want to address what it is that your business is mailing. If youre mailing packages to customers, there might be sp ecific shipping standards your business must follow. If youre mailing marketing materials, you want to make sure you dont spam customers by sending too many items or sending materials too frequently. To make sure you follow guidelines and adhere to all shipping standards, it can be helpful to have direct mail solutions. For example, postage ms print postage directly on envelopes. Using this machine can ensure you dont forget to include postage on your mail.You want mail solutions that align with your business goals. If your goal is to frequently ship items to customers, shipping software and folding machines might be the best solutions for you. If your goal is to legally ship a few items monthly to select customers, you might only need a postage meter. When looking for direct mail solutions, look for the solutions that can make a meaningful difference in your business. Dont buy a mailing solution just for the sake of purchasing something. Direct mail campaigns arent for everyone, an d its OK if your business uses a different strategy.Finding the right mail solutions for your business requires an understanding of direct mailing best practices and then applying those to your businesss strategy.Direct mailing best practicesWhile theres no perfect solution to create effective direct mail campaigns, there are a few best practices.Dont spam a customer with excess mail.Sending letters can help boost direct mail engagement.Send relevant mail to customers.Include a call to action to engage those on your mailing list.Use direct mail to get permission to send email and text message marketing campaigns to certain customers.Give customers a way to respond to your message both through the mail and online.Make sure any mail you send to current or prospective customers is grammatically correct.Keep the design of the mail simple and easy to understand.Much like email marketing, you want your direct mail campaigns to be relevant to the recipient. You dont want to send excessive amounts of mail, and you should include calls to action. Following these rules will help you achieve greater success in your mail campaigns.Its also important to use postage solutions that benefit your business. Take advantage of the many different affordable postage solutions on the market to run your direct mail campaigns more effectively. Postage solutions are affordable, and they can help your mailing systems operate more efficiently. Direct mail is often overlooked in 2019, but it can be well worth the cost when used correctly.If you are searching for postage meters, folding machines or other postage solutions to help improve your mail campaigns, here are a few companies to consider.1. Data-Pac Mailing Systems (postage meters, shipping software)Data-Pac has been in the mailing industry for more than 35 years. It offers hardware and software solutions that work in tandem to make it easier for SMB to ship parcels without setting foot in the post office.With roughly a dozen hardwa re systems to choose from, Data-Pac can meet the needs of tiny businesses with modest mailing needs, as well as large businesses that require features like mixed thickness feeders, dual carrier options, and optional weighing platforms. Data-Pacs USHIPSAVER is a shipping software application that allows companies to ship and mail many different types of packages. The shipping software is designed to save roughly $10 per day, according to the companys website.The best way to find the Data-Pac system thats right for your business is to reach out to one of their sales representatives for assistance.2. Formax (folding machines, software)Formax sells a variety of mailing solutions, including inserters, folders, tabbers, envelope openers and sealers, pressure sealers, mailing software and more. The folding machines Formax sells run the gamut from compact folders like the FD 300, which processes 11-inch and 14-inch paper at speeds of 7,400 sheets an hour, to robust powerhouses like the Atla s-AS Air-Feed Document Folder, which processes up to 27,500 sheets per hour and sports a 7-inch touchscreen control panel. To find out more about the Formaxs line of business products, reach out to the sales team.Editors musiknote Considering mailing equipment for your small business? Use the questionnaire below to get information from a variety of vendors for free3. FP Mailing Solutions (postage meters, folding machines, software)A true one-stop shop for small business owners, FB Mailing Solutions offers everything a business could need when it comes to mailing, which makes it easy to scale your mailing upwards as your business grows. While many other mailing solutions companies offer a confusing array of customizable options, FP Mailing Solutions separates their hardware by series, simplifying the shopping process.The Small Business Series is perfect for entrepreneurs who need lots of functionality in a small package. From small-space friendly postage meters, like the PostBase Min i Postage Meter, to tiny-footprint folders, like the FPi 600 Folder inserter, FP Mailings line of SMB products is well designed and varied. Price quotes may be requested directly through the website.4. MyBinding (letter-folding machines, binding machines)MyBinding sells a variety of different binding and folding machines. The companys offerings for paper-folding machines are extensive. If youre looking for low, medium or high-volume paper-folding machines, MyBinding offers several options in each category.Pricing for the different letter-folding machines varies. Of the different paper-folding machines on sale, prices range from $500 all the way up to the $15,000 range. The letter-folding machines come from several manufacturers, including Martin Yale, Intimus and Dahle.The company also offers a selection of binding machines and supplies. MyBinding claims to offer more binding machines and book-binding systems than any other company on the internet. If youre looking to bind materials prior to mailing them out, MyBinding is a sensible distributions-mix for your business to look.5. Intelli-Zone (folding machines)Intelli-Zone sells six folding machines and little else in terms of mailing solutions. However, this company stands apart from the rest because it offers two industry-specific folding machines. The Intelli-Fold DF-304VC and DF-304C are geared toward pharmaceutical folding and instructional documentation. Most folding machines cannot complete the tight, small folds that are required for technical brochures, making Intelli-Zones offering invaluable to business owners in certain industries. Intelli-Zone also sells more standard folding machines, but its offering is relatively narrow compared to other vendors on this list.6. Martin Yale Industries (folding machines)Martin Yale Industries offers a broad range of folding machines that are best suited for small businesses, schools, churches and mailrooms.The companys folders range in size from a small, single-sh eet-fed, 8.5 x 11-inch (47 x 28 cm) desktop unit to a 12 x 18-inch (30.5 x 46 cm) format with a feed-table capacity of up to 500 sheets. Folders are available with a variety of options, including preset positions for standard folds on manual adjustment machines and preset, pre-programmed folds on electronic automatic machines. The Martin Yale Folding Machines can process from 2,200 to 20,000 sheets per hour.7. Neopost (postage meters, folding machines, software, address printers)Neoposts mailing systems and letter-folding/insert machines are specifically designed with small businesses in mind.Models range from petite desktop machines built for home offices to larger mailroom designs with built-in scales and touchscreens. The companys postage meters can process more than 140 U.S. Postal Service rates and services.Neopost also offers machines that specifically fold letters, as well as devices than can handle inserts and folding letters. Its small business options can fold from 1,350 t o as many as 2,400 letters per hour. Neopost sells address printers as well. The website lists five address-printing systems on its website, which are designed for businesses of varying sizes.8. Pitney Bowes (postage meters, folding machines, software, letter openers)Pitney Bowes offers several types of postage meters and letter-folding machines, as well as mailing services, inserters, letter openers, sorters, specialty printers and software solutions. The businesss letter opener selection includes the DL200 Letter Opener, which can open 250 letters per minute. This type of machine is better geared toward businesses receiving mass quantities of mail. The DL50 model is better designed for smaller operations.While many of the products and services Pitney Bowes offers are targeted toward enterprises, the company offers suitable postage meters and folding machines for SMB as well. The SendPro C200 is compact and powerful and allows entrepreneurs to compare options from three major carri ers (including USPS and UPS), print postage, weigh packages, print shipping labels and more. The mailstation2 postage meter acts as a scale and prints postage as well.Pitney Bowes, which has one of the most diverse selections of postage tools of the companies on this list, also offers affordable financing for its mailing solutions some systems are as low as $36.99 per month.Additional reporting by Mona Bushnell and Chad Brooks. Bennett Conlin Bennett is a B2B editorial assistant based in New York City. He graduated from James Madison University in 2018 with a degree in business management. During his time in Harrisonburg, he worked extensively with The Breeze, JMUs student-run newspaper. Bennett also worked at the Shenandoah Valley SBDC, where he helped small businesses with a variety of needs ranging from social media marketing to business plan writing. 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This Mister Rogers Speech is All The Career Advice You Need

This Mister Rogers Speech is All The Career Advice You Need In 2002, Fred Rogers known to children and former children all over the world as Mister Rogers from Mister Rogers Neighborhood gave his belastung commencement address at Dartmouth College, which he attended in the 1940s.And although he might have written his remarks for the graduating class and their loved ones, his advice, as usual, is universal. Covering change, progress, creativity, silence and the value of helping each other throughout our lives, his speech offers inspiration and guidance for anyone whos starting a new adventure or who has temporarily lost their way.If youre struggling with your career or your lifes purpose, you couldnt make a better investment than spending 15 or so minutes watching (or reading) this right now. In particular, these parts may prove helpful1. Some things change for the better.Dartmouth became a coeducational institution in 1972 decades after Rogers attended. Indeed, he notes in his sp eech that many areas of education, business and leadership were closed off to women when he welches a studentIm not sure if then-Governor Jeanne Shaheen was even born yet, but very few people would have guessed that within 50 years, a woman would be governor of New Hampshire. Yes. When I was here, the first word of the alma mater was Men. Men of Dartmouth give a rouse. Well, now the first word is Dear. Some things change for the better.Of course, women leise hold fewer executive and leadership roles than men, even in 2019. But its worth noting how far weve come, even as we strive to close the opportunity gap. And its good to remember that things do change for the better.2. Someone will landbinnensee the best in you.Mentors arent just people who show you the ropes and connect you with opportunities. The best mentors also see things in you that you might not see in yourself. Heres Mister Rogers on a teacher who did that for himI had an astronomy professor, George Dimitrov, who looked for and found what was best in each of his students. When I look at the night sky, I mucksmuschenstill think of that extra special, kind man.You can also be that for someone else, helping a mentee see their strengths. The person you help might one day look back on your insight as formative to their life and career.3. More things unite us than divide us.Working as part of a team means finding ways to connect with people who have very different goals, backgrounds and ways of expressing themselves. When youre having trouble connecting with people who seem very different from you, it can help to remember that all human beings have mora in common with one another than it often seems at first glance.Heres a particularly beautiful part of the speechOur world hangs like a magnificent jewel in the vastness of space. Every one of us is a part of that jewel. A facet of that jewel. And in the perspective of infinity, our differences are infinitesimal. We are intimately related. May we never eve n pretend that we are not.4. Help others (and accept help when you need it)Its often said that the best way to network is to help others. But lending a hand is more than just an expedient means to an end. It can help make your whole life better, outside of work as well as at the office.In his commencement address, Rogers told a story about an event at the Seattle Special Olympics. During the 100-yard dash, one of the nine contestants fell down, hurting his knee. When the other children heard him crying, they turned around and helped him instead of continuing the raceEvery one of them ran back to him. One little girl with Down Syndrome bent down and kissed the boy, and said, Thisll make it better. The little boy got up, and he and the rest of the runners linked their arms together, and joyfully walked to the finish line. They all finished the race at the same time. And when they did, everyone in that stadium stood up, and clapped, and whistled, and cheered for a long, long time.Peopl e who were there are still telling this story with great delight. And you know why. Because deep down, we know that what matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What really matters is helping others win, too. Even if it means slowing down and changing our course now and then.And of course, none of us become who are we without help along the way. Later in his speech, Rogers saidAnyone who has ever graduated from a college, anyone who has ever been able to sustain a good work, has had at least one person, and often many, who have believed in him or her. We just dont get to be competent human beings without a lot of different investments from others.Remembering this can also help you go easy on yourself when you experience failure. No one becomes who they are without help when you hit a rough patch, dont hide from the people who might smooth your way.5. Dont be afraid of silence.At one point in his speech, Rogers said that he wants to give his audience an invisible gif t. A gift of a silent minute to think about those who have helped you become who you are today.There are two things about this particular gift that are unique to the Mister Rogers worldview the sense of community people helping each other become better, stronger, more uniquely themselves and the silence.Rogers was comfortable with silence in a way that most adults are not. At The Cut, Heather Havrilesky explainedTime seemed to slow down and almost stop in Mister Rogerss company. Feeding the fish took half a century by todays manic televisual standards. Rogers would look at you and pause, then muse quietly on how to think about this or that. There was plenty of time for you, the child viewer, to consider what you thought before Rogers moved on. In one episode, Rogers took an egg timer and said to the camera, Do you want to know how long a minute is? Then he watched silently for a full minute as the timer ran down.When is the last time you spent a minute doing nothing not looking a t your phone or your calendar or your to-do list, not talking just to fill the air, but just being still? The ability to be silent is a forgotten skill for most of us.In addition to helping you cultivate mindfulness, silence can also help you improve your communication with others. What would your coworkers say, if you didnt fill the air? What information might they share or questions might they ask? Youll never know until youre able to make peace with silence and wait to see what comes.6. Nobody else can make the sound you make.In another story, Rogers related the time he sat in on a master class of young cellists, led by Yo-Yo Ma. After one of the cellists performed, Ma told him, Nobody else can make the sound you make.Rogers explainedOf course, he meant that as a compliment to the young man. Nevertheless, he meant that also for everyone in the class. Nobody else can make the sound you make. Nobody else can choose to make that particular sound in that particular way.You are more t han the sum of your experience, education and credentials more than just your resume. Whether youre looking for a new job or aiming for a versetzung at the one you have, remember that you bring to the table much more than your skills. You bring yourself.7. You dont ever have to do anything sensational.In a world that prizes achievement, sometimes it can be hard to remember that getting ahead isnt everything. To be truly successful, you need to see beyond the next promotion, raise or career goal. You need to remember that you have value just the way you are.Toward the end of his speech, Rogers reminded his audience of his song, Its You I Like Its you I like, its not the things you wear. Its not the way you do your hair, but its you I like. He explained, And what that ultimately means, of course, is that you dont ever have to do anything sensational for people to love you.8. Choices matter.Mister Rogers closed his speech by wishing the graduating class the strength and the grace to make those choices which will allow you and your neighbor to become the best of whoever you are.A good reminder that while some things are out of our control, we do have a say in some of what happens to us, at work and elsewhere. We can control our attitude and approach to problems, wins and losses and we can make the best possible choices in any given situation.See the entire commencement speech here Jen Hubley Luckwaldt--This story originally appeared onPayScale.

Facts, Fiction and Resume Writing with Volunteer Experience

Facts, Fiction and Resume Writing with Volunteer Experience All volunteer work needs to be utilised to supplement your real work history when youre asking for a paid position. The very first thing you ought to know is there is nobody right method to craft your volunteer resume. The probability of obtaining a job for a volunteer is often large. She is someone who has made a decision that they will work for a company or an organization without expecting a payment. The Honest to Goodness Truth on Resume Writing with Volunteer Experience Becoming a volunteer isnt always as simple as it seems. If needed, you can find a small creative in regards to selecting a Job Title for your volunteer experience. Being a coordinator may be lifelong rewarding career, but sometimes it is advisable to start as a volunteer before you are able to get to a level in which you receive a salary for the job. You should organize your resume to assist agencies evaluate your experience. Hiring agencies will try to find particular terms in your resume to make certain that you have the experience theyre seeking.The work experience part of your resumethe part in which you describe your previous jobsis the most important element of your whole job application. How you pick the appropriate one among them are able to rely on the sum of relevant experience youve got and the sections of the resume that you would like to emphasize. Learn about the three kinds of skills youre able to highlight and the way youre able to incorporate them into your resume. There are a couple distinct places where you are able to consist of volunteer experience on your resume the placement is really going to depend on just what the remainder of your professional experience appears like and your present job objectives. All you have to know to earn a stunning resume job description. Its possible that forfirst job resumes, its not essential for the applicant to have a thorough cover letter. However, it cannot go amiss when it has to do with applying for work. You are going to learn how to best format your resume and the strategic advice that you want to stand out as an excellent candidate at every stage of your career. You should maintain a consistent tone and format once you list and describe the particulars of your experience for a volunteer. In some fields, employers will expect to observe a resume with a particular format, which might differ than these samples. Whether this Volunteer resume example was not sufficient for you, youre totally free to review several other samples and templates from our website. While Canadian resumes are available in many distinct formats, they share some standards that you ought to know about. Each resume format can be helpful, based on your own personal circumstances.

Next-Generation Wearable Medical Robot

Next-Generation Wearable Medical Robot Next-Generation Wearable Medical Robot Next-Generation Wearable Medical RobotOne day in the not too distant future, researchers at Harvard University hope their work with soft wearable robots using innovative textiles can offer easy and unobtrusive assistance to individuals with physical disabilities. That same work also offers promise for augmenting the capabilities of healthy individuals, for example, helping soldiers carry heavy loads and walk farther and longer by assisting the muscles in the hips and ankles. In a field only about three years old that evolved from research into soft robots as medical devices, Conor Walsh, assistant prof of mechanical and biomedical engineering at Harvard, and founder of the Harvard Biodesign Lab, leads a multidisciplinary team of about 30 researchers developing soft wearable robots. The furthest along are a soft exosuit that can assist with locomotion and perform small levels of assistance to a wearer (such as a soldier) and a glove that assists with grasping motions for those with hand impairment.Multi-segment actuators used in the robotic glove enable an assistive range of motions. Image Harvards Wyss Institute Compared to current external rigid structures, the wearers joints are much less constrained. Wearing the devices as clothing also makes them much lighter since they consist primarily of fabric. This minimizes unintentional interference with the bodys natural biomechanics and allows for better interaction, according to Walsh. He was attracted to robotics as a student because it was kind of a cool topic, he says. After earning undergraduate degrees in mechanical and manufacturing engineering from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, then M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachuplatzsetts Institute of Technology, he joined Harvard in 2012. As a grad student, he worked on rigid exoskeleton-like robotic systems and was even a test subject evaluating them. I r ealized firsthand just how hard it is to use rigid components to interface with the body, he says. At Harvard, he saw researchers working in a new field called soft robotics. Instead of rigid components for medical devices, they were using soft materials to apply forces to people as they move. That made me think, wow, wouldnt it be cool if we applied unterstellung new soft robotic components to wearable robotic applications, he says. Traditional exoskeletons are large systems giving people superhuman power thats what rigid robotics does, says Walsh. Such equipment requires big battery packs. We came up with the idea that maybe there is a whole set of people out there, where if you give them small or moderate levels of assistance, you can still have a big impact.A box containing the battery and motor is a key component of the system. Image Harvards Wyss Institute The system consists of a textile component, an exosuit in different body sizes, made of flexible, lightweight fabrics such as nylon or spandex. It serves as an anchor to the body and allows forces to be applied in a safe and comfortable way. Sensors acting as controllers or monitors of the wearers movements are integrated into the suit. The other component, a box the size of a backpack, is the motor and battery that works for all size individuals. The team has shown through testing with the U.S. Army and others that a system that doesnt add much extra mass or many restrictions to natural movement and that gives a boost of energy at the right time can enable healthy individuals to carry heavier loads and walk farther. Its still a research project, but its quite far along in terms of ur capability for testing under different types of conditions, Walsh says. The team has also made progress with a soft robotic glove to assist with grasping motions for those with hand impairment, using a different technology, silicon actuators powered by some kind of fluid, water or air. Imagine a balloon-type actuator, Wa lsh says. Its a little more complicated than that, but its similar to a balloon. When you pressurize it, it imparts forces on the fingers and causes them to bend in a natural type of motion. These are integrated in a glove for people with conditions such as muscular dystrophy or ALS. We have been testing that on patients from the start and have a nice prototype that we are currently refining to make lighter, Walsh says. The glove is expected to be put into a small trial later this year. Robotic devices for the hand have been particularly challenging because traditional rigid exoskeletons are heavy and hard to align properly to the person, Walsh said. Thats where we saw an advantage to using soft robots that could be more flexible, more lightweight, easier to put on and more easily aligned to the persons anatomy. So far we have had some pretty exciting results. Patients are able to do things that they wouldnt otherwise be able to do, he says. Walsh believes these kinds of devices cou ld be available within the next three to five years. The technology opens up new possibilities that wouldnt be possible with rigid robotic components. Its really just starting as a field. Its rewarding because the technology is cool, but the fact that its toward the goal of helping people, that makes it all the more compelling, Walsh says. Nancy S. Giges is an independent writer. Learn about the latest trends in bioengineering at ASMEs Global Congress onNanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology. For Further Discussion The technology opens up new possibilities that wouldnt be possible with rigid robotic components. Its really just starting as a field.Prof. Conor Walsh, Harvard University