Gizmodo: robot suit

Mass Production Planned For HAL Exoskeleton; Your Personal Iron Man Conversion To Cost $4,200

John Herrman — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:57:22 EDT

Products like the Human Assistive Limb exoskeleton have a frustrating tendency to remain in the labs and universities that spawned them, usually for reasons of impracticality or cost. But this one is going mainstream.

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]

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]

HAL Robot Exoskeletons Available for Rent

Elaine Chow — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:10:15 EDT

The day for you to strap yourself into a robotic exoskeleton and fight crime the way your normally flabby limbs would never have let you has come! Cyberdyne, the Japanese company responsible for the HAL (hybrid assistive limb) prototype robot suit, is starting rentals this week. The price for being superhuman: about $2,200.

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]

Rent Your Own HAL Exoskeleton For The Low, Low Price of $1000!

Sean Fallon — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EDT

Are you a feeble, pasty pansy? For the low price of $1000 a month, you could overcome your physical limitations with a HAL exoskeleton from Cyberdyne. While HAL prototypes have been around for a few years now, Cyberdyne has just begun building a lab that will mass produce 400-500 of the suits per year starting this October.

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]

Kanagawa Institute of Technology Develops Robot Suit, Fuels Superhero Fantasies

Haroon Malik — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 18:55:00 EDT

The Kanagawa Institute of Technology has developed a robotic suit that will aid in the care of elderly individuals who need physical support. The suit, showcased at a trade show in Japan this week, is intended to help personal caregivers lift those they look after, while reducing the strain on themselves. The unit takes around 10 minutes to equip properly, is very large and weighs in at 66 pounds. The suit enables potential superheroes to lift a 100Kg mass as if it were 50Kg. For those of you who are not strong at mathematics, that is a 50% decrease in the effective mass!

It is hoped the outfit will be worked into a solution that will be made available in all homes, to aid with various domestic tasks ~~and/or sex games~~. [Yahoo News via Raw Feed]

Robot Suit: Fights Paralysis, Not Crime (yet)

Mark Wilson — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 14:00:37 EST

Matsushita, a company out of Japan, has developed a suit with virtual muscles. While it won't help you lift semis one-handed, it will aid in the rehabilitation of stroke victims suffering from partial paralysis by moving their limbs. Slated for 2009 release, the suit will run about $17,000, but should become cheaper with mass production.

Gizmodo tip: pick one of these up before they hit stateside and no one needs to know the suit isn't powered by nuclear reactions, providing 500 tons of lifting/throwing power. Just try to avoid any real fights. – Mark Wilson

Japanese Robot Suit [via Crave]