Bionic trousers help people walk

We don't know if these work as well as the Lokomat robot, but they sure are a lot more wearable. Maybe not in a couture vs. RTW way, but you know what we mean. Called the "hybrid assisted limb" (or HAL — who says scientists don't have a sense of humour?), these work by detecting faint eletrical signals through the skin when the wearer tries to move their leg, then engaging motors to assist the movement.  You'll have to provide your own Six Million Dollar Man sound effects, though.

[Via We Make Money Not Art] 

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

"Experiments have shown that wearers of the device can lift objects twice the weight they are normally capable of raising."

I think i'll skip my car license and buy this for travelling.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Wasn't this on Dark Angel?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

"It's the wrong trousers Grommit!!!!!"

Just watch out for sinister penguins disguised as chickens. Don't fall asleep wearing these.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

dem crazy japanese!

what will they think of next?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

I wait for the version which helps to sit down to the toilet, and open the asscheeks to avoid dingleberries.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Man, this is straight out of Robert A. Heinlein.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

I"m not kicking your ass it's the pants! The pants!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Sankai has dubbed it the "hybrid assistive limb" or HAL.

Great technology; completely unfortunate name. 2001: A Space Oddessy's villian H.A.L. 9000 is one of the scariest sanarios of technology going wrong in modern (abit American) culture.