Meant for elderly folks and the disabled, the suit promises to give mobility back to Japan’s aging population. The exoskeleton can even give the gift of walking back to people paralyzed from the waist down.
Created by Professor Yoshiyuki Sankai of Tsukuba University, the HAL suit converts brain signals sensed through the skin into motion. The entire unit weighs 22 lbs and the user belts himself/herself in via a waist strap. The suit works by augmenting regular muscle motion and wearers can easily lift or carry a hundred pounds. While this may not be a big deal for body builders, this is a huge win for a senior citizen out doing basic chores like yard work or shopping for groceries.
The suit has actually been demonstrated for several years as part of Sankai’s research at the university. In the following YouTube video, you can see the wearer hold three bags of rice and then doing squats while the reporter talks.
P.S.: Cyberdyne is also a fictional company from the Terminator universe. Makes you think twice before getting one of these suits