DJI is expanding into electric bikes in a big way with its new Avinox drive system and Amflow e-bike brand. The company best known for its drones is launching its first e-bike — the carbon fiber Amflow PL electric mountain bike — before the end of the year, complete with the mid-drive Avinox motor and fast-charging battery. It has so many smart and powerful features packed into a relatively lightweight e-bike that it should catch the attention of competitors like Bosch and Specialized.

As a showcase for DJI’s new Avinox drive system, the Amflow PL e-bike features a very impressive 120Nm of max torque and 1000W of on-demand boost power to overcome even the steepest inclines. Otherwise, its “remarkably quiet” mid-drive motor is rated for 250W of nominal output with an 850W peak. Its removable 800Wh battery can fast-charge from zero to 75 percent in a speedy 1.5 hours when using Amflow’s 2A/508W GaN charger.

Despite all that power and battery capacity, the Amflow PL weighs just 19.2kg (just over 42 pounds), thanks in part to a 2.27kg carbon fiber frame and 2.52kg Avinox drive system.

The bike features a two-inch color OLED touchscreen display integrated into the frame and an Avinox app for wireless access to the bike and all the riding data. The bike will sound an alarm in case of trouble and alert you of its location in the app. It has four pedal-assist modes, including an auto mode that adapts power delivery based on riding resistance. Rounding out the highlights is a USB charging port for your phone or bike computer, a full suspension system from Fox, and a frame that can accommodate both 27.5-inch and 29-inch rear wheels.

“Our expertise in battery and motor technology accumulated in drones and camera stabilization systems, have led us to the creation of Avinox,” says Christina Zhang, senior director of corporate strategy at DJI. “It is a natural move for DJI to expand into this field as we have been mastering the technologies essential to an electric bike system, in terms of reliable motor development, battery management, mechanical design and engineering.”

The company has also been developing intelligent driving solutions for automobiles in China over the last few years, some of which can already be found in several car models. More recently, the company expanded into the large consumer battery market with the launch of its first power stations.

The Amflow PL is expected to ship in Q4. DJI tells me to expect a pricing somewhere between €7,000 and €12,000 ($7,500 and $12,850), which puts it into direct competition with premium electric sport bikes like Specialized’s Turbo series. DJI says the Amflow PL will be available from authorized dealers in Germany, the UK, and Australia “amongst others.”

Unlike the Asus Zenbook Duo and Lenovo Yoga Book 9i we reviewed earlier this year, it’s not a twin-screen tablet with a detachable keyboard; this one’s most definitely a laptop with an extra screen on a hinge that swings all the way around. And unlike the upcoming GPD Duo, it swings horizontally instead of vertically. The company is calling it the “world’s first horizontally foldable 360 degree laptop.”

While we don’t have a price, release date, or full spec sheet yet, it seems this laptop isn’t shooting for gaming or high-end productivity; it’ll be equipped with a two-year-old 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U processor (we’re expecting 15th Gen this fall), 16GB of DDR4 memory, and a 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD.

It also only supports 5Gbps transfer speeds from its USB-A and USB-C ports and HDMI 2.0 rather than HDMI 2.1 for its video output. And one of its two USB-C ports is only for charging.

Still, there are lots of tasks that don’t necessarily need lots of horsepower but could benefit from more visual real estate — and the second screen isn’t the only unique thing about this machine!

The Acemagic X1 also includes, and I quote:

Adding to its distinctive appeal, ACEMAGIC has engraved Steve Jobs’s iconic quote, “Stay hungry, Stay foolish,” in real gold on the left side of the keyboard. This touch symbolizes the device’s premium quality and innovative spirit.

(No, we don’t have a picture of the gold lettering to see if Steve Jobs’ name is also on the side of this laptop.)

A groundbreaking AI-powered exoskeleton developed by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill promises to be a game-changer for individuals with mobility issues.

I showed off a similar technology and got a mountain of messages asking if there was an application for disabled folks. This new exoskeleton could very well be that help.

The wearable technology provides unprecedented energy savings during human movement, making users feel as if they’re carrying 26 pounds less. This results in significant improvements in athletic performance and daily life activities.

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The power of digital twin simulations

The secret behind this revolutionary exoskeleton lies in sophisticated digital twin simulations, where humans and machines coexist, learning and adapting through millions of iterations to perfect physical assistance. The exoskeleton’s AI algorithm, still in development, goes beyond traditional machine learning focused on simulations and games, venturing into a new frontier where technology directly enhances human capabilities.

A woman walking while wearing an AI-powered exoskeleton (NCSU) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Data-driven and physics-informed reinforcement learning

The researchers have embraced data-driven and physics-informed reinforcement learning, an approach that ensures their wearable robots are not just smart but also intuitive, aligning with their mission to improve human mobility and health. This cutting-edge technology maps sensor inputs from the robot to assistive torque without any intermediate steps, enabling end-to-end control.

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A man climbing stairs while wearing an AI-powered exoskeleton (NCSU) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Versatile assistance across multiple activities

One of the most remarkable features of this exoskeleton is its ability to generate synergistic assistance across various activities, including walking, running and stair-climbing. The learned controller automatically adapts to each user’s different kinematic patterns, accommodating transitions between activities seamlessly without the need for handcrafted control.

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A man running while wearing an AI-powered exoskeleton (NCSU) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Unprecedented metabolic cost reduction

The experimental results are nothing short of impressive. Among state-of-the-art portable exoskeletons, the exoskeleton achieved the greatest metabolic cost reduction for walking (24.3%), running (13.1%) and stair-climbing (15.4%). This remarkable achievement stems from the experiment-free and versatile control approach, which eliminates the need for lengthy human tests and handcrafted rules.

Diagram of AI-powered exoskeleton’s results (NCSU) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How much will the exoskeleton cost? 

We spoke to Hao Su, Ph.D., associate professor at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also the director of Biomechatronics and Intelligent Robotics Lab (BIRO), and he told us, “While the exoskeleton price is about $50,000 to $120,000 due to research and development costs and actuators, our approach can significantly reduce the R&D cost by leveraging our efficient learning-in-simulation framework, which allows for rapid design and testing in computer simulations rather than intensive testing on humans and physical robots.

“Looking forward, we plan to make our robots truly affordable and accessible through innovative hardware design, namely low-ratio gears and cost-effective but high-torque electric motors. In about one year, we aim to make our exoskeletons for sale at a price range of $1,500 to $4,000, depending on specific features and manufacturing scale.”

Kurt’s key takeaways

This AI-powered exoskeleton marks a major advancement in wearable robotics. It offers the rapid development and widespread adoption of assistive robots for both able-bodied and mobility-impaired individuals. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of exoskeletons, paving the way for a future where mobility is no longer a barrier and eliminates the hurdles of movement limitations.

What activities or tasks do you struggle with currently that this type of wearable robotic assistance could help make easier or more accessible? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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