Matsushita and Activelink unveil rehabilitating robotic suit

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.

[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!

[John @ Sep 28th 2006 5:22PM]

She could be a megaman character.

[James @ Sep 28th 2006 12:56PM]

Uncanny valley, anyone?

[xaque @ Sep 29th 2006 7:56PM]

That's a real girl...

[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?