Gizmodo: human augmentation

Honda's Groin-Threatening Robo-Legs Demonstrated On Video

John Herrman — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:18:29 EST

Why Honda took a few days to seed a video of their potentially emasculating robotic legs is beyond me, but here it is: a faceless man running the "Walking Assist Device" through its strides (ha, ha). My fears of testicular danger are only partially mitigated, and the fact that the legs have a hilariously feminine gait doesn't offer much comfort. That said, they do seem to work: the demonstrator never falls down, and appears to exert very little energy, even during deep squats. [Akihabara]

Honda Robo-Legs Help Mobility at the Expense of Fertility

John Herrman — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:11:04 EST

Honda's first foray into robotizing old peoples' haunches looked pretty tame, but this new one, on which geriatrics are supposed to mount like some sort of meat trophy, feels like a glimpse into a horrible, dystopian future where up is down, right is wrong and grandmas and grandpas amble through Sears on mechanized rectal steeds instead of walkers. The machine, which I'm 90% sure is just the missing half of this Battle Droid from Attack of the Clones, is more a passive support device than it is a set of active robot limbs, though it does have a small electric motor.

Details are a bit sparse for the time being, but Honda claims that the legs transparently reduce the strains of walking, standing and crouching, and should be "as easy to use as a bicycle." The AP reporter who got to test the robo-legs had this to say about them:

This reporter found it does take some getting used to. But I could sense how it supported my moves, pushing up on my bottom when I squatted and pushing at my soles to help lift my legs when I walked.

Uses will not be limited to assisting mobility for seniors. Honda claims that one of the most practical uses for the legs would be at factories, where workers may have to assume repetitive, uncomfortable postures. The device is still in its experimental stages, but Honda plans to start testing early models on its factory workers as soon as next month. [Honda via AP]

US Military Pretty Much Commissions a Real-Life Gordon Freeman Power Suit

John Herrman — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:20:21 EST

The Office of Naval Research just threw a $1.6m grant at some UCSD researchers, to be used to build a "field hospital on a chip". The system will monitor a few biomarkers for deviations from safe levels, at which point it will automatically medicate its wearer. While the military hopes that such a device could provide first aid to wounded soldiers, the technology could also find plenty of practical uses in medicine, especially for doling out insulin to diabetics or anesthetic to chronic pain sufferers.

Anyway, forget about the olds — the military applications are what's exciting about this. Take a current soldier's body armor, night vision goggles and communications equipment, throw in an automatic medical treatment unit and voila! You've basically got Gordon Freeman's HEV suit. There is no indication that the suit will make the satisfying "uhhuummuhhuummuhhuumm" sound like Mr. Freeman's, but there's no indication that it won't, either. [Medgadget]