If tossing on a
HAL cyborg suit and
ascending a mountain seems a bit intimidating to you, Japanese firms Matsushita (producer of
Panasonic) and Activelink have partnered with Kobe Gakuin University to develop a robotic jacket that helps rehabilitate paralyzed individuals with slightly less "
lofty" goals. The vest, which slips over an individual's upper body and arms (no leg support just yet), allows the person to move their unaffected arm as they please, while it mimics the muscles in the paralyzed area(s) to help the patient recall the feelings of maneuvering that limb. By teaching the person to take over for the motorized "stretching and bending compressors" within the device, the 1.8-pound suit can gradually help someone to regain stimulation in a previously motionless area of their upper body. Activelink reportedly plans to "start testing" the unit at a Hyogo hospital soon, and make it commercially available by March 2009. The only kicker is the price -- at ¥2,000,000 ($17,159), customers best ensure their
insurance plan is mighty stout before suiting up in this.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James Whited @ Sep 28th 2006 9:02AM
Wow, that chick looks like she has huge hands, anyone here agree?
Chris @ Sep 28th 2006 9:14AM
It's because the lens used to take the photo is wide angle so an object that's closer appears disproportionately sized.
RickDom @ Sep 28th 2006 9:05AM
I, for one, welcome our new cybernetic, female, Japanese overlords.
o0adam0o @ Sep 28th 2006 9:09AM
Wow shes pretty hot...
pete @ Sep 28th 2006 9:32AM
Somebody please get her a sammich.
/sharp knees, etc...
minus_273 @ Sep 28th 2006 9:37AM
KOSMOS! is that you?
mrarmageddon @ Sep 28th 2006 9:48AM
Cripes! Those look like missiles coming out her forearms!
Scabies @ Sep 28th 2006 10:40AM
Yeah, she still has the "I'm going to kill you, but later" look on her face.
joe @ Sep 28th 2006 11:41AM
Scabies, that was too funny! Thanks for the mid-morning laugh!
James @ Sep 28th 2006 12:56PM
Uncanny valley, anyone?
xaque @ Sep 29th 2006 7:56PM
That's a real girl...
John @ Sep 28th 2006 5:22PM
She could be a megaman character.
CyberOccult @ Sep 29th 2006 3:12PM
Dang, she could fit into C3P0's suit, or be an assistent to that Einstein bot...is that a fake body or a fake head?