HAL-5 robotic suit ready for mass production

Tsukuba University engineering professor Yoshiyuki Sankai could probably give his two weeks notice if he should so desire, as his brainchild -- better known as HAL -- is getting ready for "mass production." Cyberdyne has embraced the overwhelming potential available in a fully robotic suit, which could prove handy in such applications such as "walking assistance and rehabilitation, nursing, factory work and disaster relief." Having already assisted a paralyzed individual (almost) summit a mountain, the robotic suit will reportedly find itself in hospital wards in Tsukuba city (alongside the HOSPI, presumably) soon, and the company plans to produce "20 units" by 2007, while ramping up to "400-500" in 2008. While the idea of having your own personal strength-boosting Halloween costume might sound appealing, you'll have to pony up an estimated "¥5 million ($42,273) - ¥7 million ($59,182)" to purchase one, or ¥70,000 ($592) per month to rent, but even that's pocket change compared to throwing down for your own personal Land Walker.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

[Vimal @ Oct 29th 2006 8:16PM]

Looks like he is missing parts of his Storm Trooper oufit.

[mb @ Oct 29th 2006 8:44PM]

s/-- better known as HAL --/whom, we learned, one addresses as HAL/


Good afternoon, Mr. Amer.

[Deluxe @ Oct 29th 2006 9:00PM]

Bringing jello mix to the masses.

[Leon Lamle @ Oct 29th 2006 9:11PM]

Well since it costs about $450 to rent certian costumes from the local costume shop... i wouldnt mind shelling out the extra $150 to get one of these badboys for a whole month!

Before i think about that i want to know whats the worst that can happen... i mean segways were "safe"... untill they started going backwards... i dont want this thing to take over my body and make me do sumthin reallly really stupid

[ASH @ Oct 29th 2006 9:18PM]

Interestingly, Cyberdyne systems was the fictional corporation that manufactured the original terminator (t800) in the terminator movies.

[Deluxe @ Oct 29th 2006 10:15PM]

'Buhh!~

[Bazza @ Oct 29th 2006 9:21PM]

Cyberdine, HAL !!....... what next? Christine?

These guys are freaking me out. Goodness knows what they are working on in their secret subterrainean labs.

Hedline News:

Cyberdine Super AI attaines self realization, dooms the human race!!! - Friday 13th August 2010

[Phree @ Oct 29th 2006 9:28PM]

Have we not learned anything robotics/technology related being named HAL.

[Bwaat @ Oct 29th 2006 9:34PM]

I have to admit that I find it mildly disturbing that the company embracing this technology is named Cyberdyne.

As soon as this global satellite network communcations company (http://www.loralskynet.com/glb_solutions.asp) gains further funding/power, our impending doom is almost assured.

Their PR people need to get on this... stat.

[Patrick M @ Oct 29th 2006 9:54PM]

I'm excited by the potential for apocalyptic wars between robots and powersuited human-cyborgs, soon to begin in a Japanese hospital and shortly thereafter spreading to the rest of the world. Better order your suit now before the rush.

[uclatommy @ Oct 29th 2006 9:51PM]

What happens when the exoskeleton suit turns evil and decides to bend your knee and elbows in directions they were not meant to be bend in?

[retsel @ Oct 29th 2006 9:56PM]

dude..
i would make a ceramic and carbon fiber full armor for this... (all black) with a full mask (all sorts of vision and communication for the head gear...) then i could go out and fight crime... or rob banks... hahahaha... if only...

[Gblade @ Oct 29th 2006 10:06PM]

Now how can I get my health insurance to pay for this?

Claim: I NEED a super powered robot exoskeleton to get through the day.

[M @ Oct 29th 2006 10:18PM]

A few peeps having trouble with seperating movies from reality again :)

Naming it as HAL, from Cyberdyne or whatever, pure PR genius.

[124C41 @ Oct 29th 2006 10:21PM]

Well, depending on how you control it and other details, I'd take one. If you look at the price of power wheelchairs, especially off-road models, cost, that's pretty cheap. And after 3 1/2 years of being paralysed, about anything is a reasonable trade-off.

[Bradc @ Oct 30th 2006 1:19PM]

Hey, I was a victim of a car crash 2yrs ago that left me paralysed and I think this amazing for rehab! Eventually & hopefully soon the wheelchair will become an archaic thing of the past. So for all you americans, please elect somebody in favour of stem cell research! Once U.S. researchers get the go-ahead I believe a 'cure' to paralysis will come within in 5yrs and end so much agony for us quadripalegics and parapalegics. Not too mention the fact the stem cells can literally help ANYTHING that is 'wrong' or damaged within the body.

[kevin @ Oct 29th 2006 10:26PM]

what happenes when it comes to life when ur not wearing it and trys to kill people and teams up with other suits and builds more suits and teams with those suits and then the world is ruled by super suits who are scared that the suit government is making super robot computers that could take over them

[matthew @ Oct 29th 2006 11:08PM]

I for one welcome our geeky japanese cripple overlords

[Paul @ Oct 29th 2006 11:20PM]

I really dont think 58,000 is that much to pay for something like this. You see other medical equipment going for hundreds of thousands of dollars, you see robotic equipment going for the same, in fact, I would say 58,000 is pretty cheap sounding to me.

[ScooterJP @ Oct 29th 2006 11:42PM]

US military surely has something to match? I can't imagine 21st Century soldiers doing without exoskeletons that will keep 'em running marathon distances day in, day out.

[Jaffa @ Oct 29th 2006 11:55PM]

Where is the giant battery pack? I'm sure something this cool would need bags and bags of power.

Great news for the disabled or lethargic though.

[tabes @ Oct 30th 2006 12:27AM]

Mechwarrior here we come!

i think this is great (and cheap!) but isnt HAL from Alien or Space:2001?

[kowalski @ Oct 30th 2006 5:24AM]

just what do you think you're doing, dave?

[Sollen @ Oct 30th 2006 5:29AM]

Finally I can be a cyborg, just a Bionic Arm, an ear implant, and BAM! I'm the Cyborg.

[James @ Oct 30th 2006 11:06AM]

What happens when you try to lift something that is within the suit's capabilites, but not your own bones and muscles? *crunch*

[phlavor @ Oct 30th 2006 12:44PM]

But can you do the Robot in it?

[R Irving @ May 20th 2007 1:10AM]

Check out www.smartorthotics.co.nz and take a look at what these guys are doing.

[Rocket Punch @ Oct 30th 2006 1:32PM]

...That looks comfy...LOL.

Don't expect to see it in USA, it is a lawsuit waiting to happen here.

[E1n[-]A3nD3R @ Oct 30th 2006 1:33PM]

I could totally lift that without some dumb suit. And I don't run out of batteries. The only use for this I see is to help cripples.

[Scorpious @ Oct 30th 2006 1:34PM]

I wonder if the Cyberdyne corporation has any plants to put in a voicebox that forces you to talk like a musclebound Austrian?

[Shunnabunich @ Oct 30th 2006 1:47PM]

"What ah you dooing? I can lift this, now GET IN ZE CHOPPA!"

[Mike C. @ Oct 30th 2006 5:15PM]

Hmm....the next step to a Metroid Power Suit!!!

[Dr. Trank @ Oct 31st 2006 4:51AM]

I promised a guy in a wheelchair, five years ago, that in fifteen years he would be able to walk again.
With this and research into spinal cord regeneration, I'm pleased with my long-term prognosis to him.

[MrCIA @ Oct 31st 2006 5:56AM]

Yes, DARPA is working on a similar system.
And sorry to those out there who are paralysed, this suit works by reading the EM field generated by your muscles. If you "simply" have very weak musculature it is supposed to work for you. But if your spine is severed your SOL.

[Radiance @ Oct 31st 2006 6:55AM]

Yeah, those energy packs seem to be very well hidden. Can't see any of them, or they are very small. Well done though.
The photo above doesn't show the EL rings ver well. Those have a massive coolness factor: http://www.cyberdyne.jp/

[sendeth @ Oct 31st 2006 7:53AM]

one way this thing could hurt you - i don't know if any of you read the halo books (the ones by eric nylund were very good) but the when the spartans are being fitted for their armor, they find out why they needed all of the genetic modifications. the first to wear the armor died because the armor intensified his actions so much that it broke bones. probably won't happen with this model, but maybe later ones.

also, this didn't seem to take very long to make. just a year or two ago, this thing was a monsterous contraption with a giant backpack of batteries. and now it's all sleek. i wonder if the army has any on order yet???

[Stevie @ Oct 31st 2006 5:52PM]

I feel the same way, why would anyone where a junky suit to carry that?, I walk home from the store with bottled water containers bigger than that and I bearly weigh 60kgs lol

'I could totally lift that without some dumb suit. And I don't run out of batteries. The only use for this I see is to help cripples -E1n[-]A3nD3R'

[Blake @ Nov 1st 2006 8:20PM]

What's up with that picture? When would you ever need to carry around 10 gallons of Pepto Bismol?

[Blake @ Nov 1st 2006 8:20PM]

What's up with that picture? When would you ever need to carry around 10 gallons of Pepto Bismol?

[Brad C @ May 20th 2007 1:17PM]

Hey,

Got your comment, that is Amazing! I'm in school for Engineering and this is an amazing accomplishment. Do you know these guys?

Email me at [e-mail]

Thanks for the link, every little bit of hope/inspiration counts!

Brad

[Brad C @ May 20th 2007 1:21PM]

Hey,

Just realized you're one of the partners in the company! I'd really like to talk to you-I love New Zealand too-my Dad worked there for 6months so I visited for a few weeks. Definitely a great city-Auckland, as well as a great country.

Thanks,

Brad