Exoskeleton to the masses

The Japanese company Cyberdyne began to issue for hire a robotic semi-suit HAL, which would be most welcome to weak old people and people with problems of the musculoskeletal system. A hybrid auxiliary limb (HAL, hybrid assistive limb) is a mechanical exoskeleton operating “under control” of a sensory system interpreting brain signals.



The “control” unit and the sensory sensors are mounted on the belt, and the orthopedic support HAL is fixed on the hips and knees of a person. The whole thing weighs about 10 kilograms. HAL's capabilities are so good (a 10-fold increase in strength !?) that it helps to re-walk even partially paralyzed people. As it was proven yesterday, in the process of exoskeleton demonstration at Cyberdyne headquarters.


Selling a Cyberdyne costume is not yet. Instead, the company is going to lease it. The cost of a monthly fee for the opportunity to be a "superman" is $ 2,200. You can save money by renting a costume model that supports only one leg. It is such a stripped-down version of $ 1,420.
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The director of Cyberdyne, Professor Yoshiyuki Sankai, said that in the near future, the company will introduce to the general public a system that allows it to control not only the lower limbs, but the whole body. Such a "full-format" HAL has already been made. But it, probably, needs to be finished. Here, by the way, video:



via yahoo.com