(October 7, 2008)—A robotic suit that rents for $2,200 a month becomes available Friday in Japan to help people with mobility problems get around.
It's an invention that may have far-reaching benefits for the disabled and elderly.
The "hybrid assistive limb" or HAL for short is a computerized suit with sensors that read brain signals directing limb movement through the skin.
The 22-pound battery-operated computer system is belted to the waist and captures brain signals that are relayed to mechanical leg braces strapped to the thighs and knees, which then provide robotic assistance to people as they walk.
Cyberdyne, the company behind the robot suit, says a full device that covers the entire body is also in the works.
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