HAL robotic suit rental is ready for Tony Stark wannabes, the elderly

If you'll recall, Tsukuba University professor Yoshiyuki Sankai designed a robotic suit called HAL-5 a few years ago. Production of this handicap-overcomer began back in 2006, and as promised, manufacturer Cyberdyne (not to be confused with Cyberdyne Systems, best known for its genocidal Skynet AI and army of Terminator robots) is finally ready to crank it out in large numbers. Starting this Friday, HAL will be available for rent in Japan at the modest rate of $2,200 per month. Sankai hopes it will prove useful to the elderly and folks with disabilities by providing super-strength mechanical assistance when they send brain signals to move their limbs. HAL may be used for good but it won't be used for awesome; Sankai has turned down military-types who've expressed interest.

[Thanks, Evan]

[Tubalcain Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:01PM]

3 WORDS

Myles Bennett Dyson

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 8th 2008 12:42AM]

Is it just me or does it look like Apple's version of a Terminator? The iTerminator. I can't wait for the iTerminator nano. {sarcasm}

[Hnomad Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:02PM]

excellent; this will go perfectly with my stormtrooper helmet.

[Benson Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:26PM]

Well, if you've already modded your helmet with blue LEDs, yes.

If not, you'll wanna get on that while this is shipping.

[linuxamp Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:14PM]

Sweet. Now astronauts can walk on Jupiter.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2008 9:37PM]

Awesome!! :D

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:26PM]

Great...How much lower will our wages go when we have to compete with guys wearing these suits...think I, Robot. On the other hand, will I be able to get my truck loaded quicker at Home Depot? I already have a problem with rude elderlies at Wal Mart in those electric carts, so you better be ready to tackle centenarians who don't want to wait in line. just think of all those mods you'll be able to add....power tools, those wheelie skates, who would need a car? you could carry a huge backpack!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:28PM]

They Probably named their company "Cyberdyne" Just to be smart asses.

In the meantime, the terminator prototypes are being designed...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2008 11:26PM]

Why'd you make your avatar a pic of you pushing out an intense shit?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:33PM]

I hope the hand movements are precise. I don't want to wank and pull a… muscle or something.

[rcappo Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:34PM]

$150 for two days...

It would be a great costume for Halloween. The added benefit is that you could actually pick up a girl (as in lift ;) ) off the ground.

Just put a sticker on it that says Cyberdyne Systems prototype model T-10. Or wear a Cyberdyne shirt. It would be subtle, but those who got it would find it funny. Or they would try to kill you.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2008 9:18PM]

Alternatively you could grow a pair, do some weight-training and still lift said girl.

[GoVegan Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:41PM]

Cool! The best part of this story is that Yoshiyuki Sankai the University of Tsukuba professor who designed HAL, said the HAL technology is devoted to social welfare purposes only, adding he has refused requests from military officials to share it.

He is obviously an ethical person who puts morality value before monetary benefit. He probably does want his technology used by the killing machine otherwise known as the US military, who are always looking to any new technology to maximise the potential of what they do best.

[Tpebop Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:56PM]

Despite that, SARCOS already has a better suit in the works. It's pretty much done now. The only thing left to do is add armor and weapons to it. Google SARCOS XOS if you don't believe me.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2008 8:27PM]

@Trevor

I believe you, I just don't agree. Engadget covered the SARCOS XOS (http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/11/popular-science-blows-out-the-sarcos-xos-exoskeleton/).

Cyberdyne's looks about 10 times sweeter - even if it doesn't come with his-and-hers bowling balls.

[mayq Posted Oct 7th 2008 9:08PM]

I agree with BJ, most pictures of the sarcos XOS I've seen shows it with thick cables attached to it. Until those cables disappear, it is hard to tell how bulky the suit will be.

HAL seems to be very compact.

[linuxamp Posted Oct 8th 2008 12:06AM]

Yea but I heard he eats meat.

[cartman1uy Posted Oct 7th 2008 10:23PM]

What if it doesn't stop right away? That could rip an arm right off!

Also, didn't that one guy in Back To The Future Part II have a suit like this?

[epilepc Posted Oct 7th 2008 10:45PM]

Go biomechatronic engineering!

[linuxamp Posted Oct 8th 2008 12:07AM]

Sankai san says his next project is to build a full gundam suit.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 8th 2008 1:05AM]

...called HAL-5....

Human : "I just need to pick up that box!"
Suit : "I'm sorry, I can't do that Dave."

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 8th 2008 1:51AM]

what if you have parkinsons ?

[n1hmrd Posted Oct 8th 2008 7:33AM]

Then you can be a extremely power person in a nano suit with illnesses like that,the possiblities are endless man!!,Oh and cyberdyne are working on super AI too,so the killer terminators are possible

[Monkeyspit Posted Oct 8th 2008 3:35AM]

If that's the suit, then cool. I can't wait to order mine in a few years from the back of an Archie comic, where the Atlas body building ad used to be. Let's see that guy kick sand in my face now (assuming he hasn't already ordered the HAL-7 Terminator edition).

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2008 4:07AM]

Badass.. Supersoldiers without the genetics! I'm going to have to save hard for one of these things in the future. Imagine kung fu with this stuff!

The future's getting more exciting every day!

(Please excuse the overuse of exclaimation marks, i'm just excited.. !!!!)

[lividmonkey Posted Oct 8th 2008 10:37PM]

Is it just me, or does this look like a stormtrooper? No military application? Bah!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 14th 2008 9:37PM]

First step toward making a Mjolnir suit.