Cyberdyne Exoskeleton Improves Physical Capability

Granted, this news item is a bit off an oddball and already a few weeks old, but nevertheless I wanted to share this somewhat scary and fascinating video with my fellow gurus.

Cyberdyne Inc., a venture firm aiming to utilize accomplishments by Prof. Sankai and his laboratory at University of Tsukuba, is currently working on a HAL, or hybrid assisted limbs system.

"When a person attempts to move, nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscles via motoneuron, moving the musculoskeletal system as a consequence. At this moment, very weak biosignals can be detected on the surface of the skin. "HAL" catches these signals through a sensor attached on the skin of the wearer. Based on the signals obtained, the power unit is controlled to move the joint unitedly with the wearer's muscle movement, enabling to support the wearer's daily activities.

"HAL" is expected to be applied in various fields such as rehabilitation support and physical training support in medical field, ADL support for disabled people, heavy labour support at factories, and rescue support at disaster sites, as well as in the entertainment field."