The full suit comes in three sizes, with the largest weighing 50lbs (though it seems you don't notice that when you're wearing it). It now looks like single and two leg versions will rent for about $1570 and $2300 per month.

Despite the tests, Cyberdyne still won't say when the HAL suit will reach the greater public. Check out the vid, the future looks super strange. [HPlus Magazine]

Older video showing the suit can help users lift up to 10x the weight they normally could:

This is great news for HAL's target market: Its ability to grant its wearer tenfold strength increases during specific actions could change the lives of people with degenerative muscle diseases, or accident victims who would otherwise need long, difficult rehabilitative therapy to regain basic mobility. And with a five-hour battery life, it could be quite practical for day to day use.

It's also great news for extreme hobbyists, certain factory workers and the children of the rich, who can enjoy near-full robotization for about $4200 when these things start rolling off the line. The first run, to be sold in Japan, is planned at 400 units, so unless you can make the case that your RoboCop fantasies are more important than giving a dystrophic Japanese child his legs back, you might still have a while to wait. [HPlus Magazine via Slashdot]

The 22 pound battery-operated system is belted to your waist and captures brain signals through sensors attached to your skin. HAL supposedly works effortlessly with your muscles, increasing your strength up to 10 times the norm without turning you all jolty and robot-like. Think Iron Man instead of Robocop. If the price is a little too much for you, you can rent a cheaper option= one leg for $1,460.

But really, can you put a price on looking this good? [Daily Mail]

Using sensors attached to the skin, the suit supposedly moves effortlessly with your muscles and it has the capability of increasing your strength up to 10 times the norm. It also has a continuous operating time of about 2 hours and 40 minutes. As mentioned, the monthly rental fee has been set at $1000 which includes $300 for maintenance and upgrades. No word on whether or not they plan on selling these things outright, but I would be perfectly happy renting one and going all Hulk on my enemies for a month or so. [Cyberdyne via LovingtheMachine vie BotJunkie via Boing Boing Gadgets]

As compared to biological systems, today's intelligent machines are less efficient by a factor of one million to one billion in real world, complex environments. The key to achieving the vision of the SyNAPSE program will be an unprecedented multidisciplinary approach that coordinates aggressive technology development in the following technical areas: 1) Hardware; 2) Architecture; 3) Simulation; and 4) Environment. Hardware includes neuromorphic electronics with novel, high density, plastic, synaptic components; Architecture includes neuromorphic design from microcircuits to complete system; Simulation includes large-scale digital simulation of neuromorphic circuits and functional neuromorphic systems; and Environment includes virtual training, testing and benchmarking for neuromorphic systems.