yberdyne Inc., a robotics start-up company has developed the “HAL” (Hybrid Assistive Limb®) wearable robotic suit. The suit’s name stands for Hybrid Assistive Limb. Cyberdyne was introducing robot suits for paralyzed people, helping them to walk again by detecting their next move and lifting their muscles. It is very useful for our daily life. Cyberdyne said its 22 pound (10 kilogram) and is equipped with sensors that read brain signals directing limb movement through the skin. This enables the HAL robotic suit to fit on the body to assist and enhance a person’s own limb movements. When a person attempts to move, nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscles via moto-neuron, moving the musculoskeletal system as a consequence. At this moment, very weak biosignals can be detected on the surface of the skin. “HAL” catches these signals through a sensor attached on the skin of the wearer. Based on the signals obtained, the power unit is controlled to move the joint united with the wearer’s muscle movement, enabling to support the wearer’s daily activities. “HAL” has, but also a ‘robotic autonomous control system’ that provides human-like movement based on a robotic system which integrally work together with the ‘autonomous control system’. “HAL” is expected to be applied in various fields such as rehabilitation support and physical training support in medical field, ADL support for disabled people, heavy labor support at factories, and rescue support at disaster sites, as well as in the entertainment field. Employees of a Japanese robotics company have been showing off a rehabilitation suit designed to help people with mobility problems on the streets of downtown Tokyo.
www.cyberdyne.jp/english
