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Cyberdyne's therapeutic cyborg legs arrive in the US
While we're still a ways away from a proper Aliens-esque Power Loader, our enhanced exo-suit future is already upon us. The HAL (that's Hybrid Assistive Limb, not the murderous space AI) from medical device manufacturer, Cyberdyne Inc., has already been leveraged for a number of rehabilitative procedures since being released in Japan in 2011. Cyberdyne announced on Friday that it has teamed with the newly opened Brooks Cybernic Treatment Center of Jacksonville, Florida to make HALs available here in the US.
Japanese bankers get exosuits to help move stacks of cash
Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation announced Friday that it will provide Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) exosuits to select senior employees as part of a pilot program aimed at reducing the strain of moving currency. "There have been many cases when a physical burden was placed on senior employees carrying heavy parcels of banknotes and coins. By adopting Cyberdyne's robotic suits, we can help reduce that burden," Tomoyuki Narita, a spokesman at SMBC, told the Wall Street Journal. About 16 percent of Sumitomo's employees (and 25 percent of the nation) are over the age of 65. The HAL is designed to augment its user's strength, reducing the perceived weight of an item by 40 percent so that a 10-pound weight only "feels" like it weighs 6 pounds. Should the pilot program prove effective, Sumitomo could expand it to more branches throughout Japan. [Image credit: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp]
Cyberdyne's robotic HAL suit marches into Japan hospital trials
While climbing mountains and helping disabled tourists are fine pursuits, Cyberdyne's HAL robot suit has found an even nobler occupation: helping patients rehabilitate from debilitating nerve and muscle illnesses. According to The Asahi Shimbun, ten hospitals in Japan will start the first clinical trials of the lower-body suit version we saw last year, designed expressly for use by health care professionals. It works by detecting weak bio-electrical signals from patients' muscles which drive small motors and power units, and will be tested on 30 adults to see if it can help them re-learn to walk. Cyberdyne's wares will be trialed in European hospitals too -- which would be a lot of good service for a company with such an evil moniker.
ThinkGeek offers $500 HAL 9000 replica, makes you answer to 'Dave'
It was a little over a year ago that ThinkGeek gave folks a chance to add a bit of 2001 to their home with the IRIS 9000 iPhone dock, but it's really gone the extra mile this year. The retailer has today announced its new HAL 9000 Life-Size Replica, a $500 device that's said to be built using the original 1967 blueprints and image files. What's more, while it isn't exactly "fully functional," it is able to respond to voice commands and most IR remotes with a variety of suitably unsettling phrases (yes, including a rendition of "Daisy Bell"). The downside is that it will set you back considerably more than the $60 of its smaller counterpart -- ThinkGeek is asking a full $500 for this conversation starter, each of which is "hand-assembled to make sure they are perfect." Would-be purchasers can get a taste of what's in store in the video after the break.
Cortexa's ZE Home Controller: recreate Demon Seed for a fraction of the cost
Your home is the next frontier for gadgeteers across the world and Cortexa's leading the way by releasing a new kit that'll turn your house into Proteus IV in a matter of minutes. The EZ Home Automation Ready Controller can manage lighting, security cameras and thermostats from the comfort of its Flash-based (aww) web-interface or iOS app. It's also retailing an EZ-Wave Starter package with ten dimmers, thermostat, energy monitor, controller and two lamp modules for quick fitting. You'll also be able to save on energy bills, cutting your power down when you're out and about or by setting custom actions for those lightbulb-left-on-moments. Cortexa's building a HTML5 interface as well as support for Hal and Lutron-based systems, which are due to arrive in "a few weeks." The starter kit will set you back $1,800, while remote access costs $50 a year (or $5 a month). After the break we've got PR for everyone who wants to really freak out the kid you paid to come house-sit when you're on vacation.[Thanks, Jesse]
Cyberdyne turns its HAL exoskeleton into an anti-radiation suit
The original Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) suit was designed to help those with muscle diseases, but it's now been upgraded to cope with a very different type of problem: handling radioactive substances. One of the few wearable materials that can stop radiation is tungsten, which is extremely heavy: a typical tungsten vest weigh up to 132 pounds. When worn in conjunction with a HAL exoskeleton, however, a vest can be worn for lengthy periods without causing fatigue -- potentially allowing greater access to hazardous sites like Fukushima.
ThinkGeek IRIS 9000 promises to make 2012 a desk-bound odyssey
The comparisons between Siri and HAL 9000 were pretty tough to avoid, and the folks at ThinkGeek have now come through to do what they do best: take things to a ridiculous extreme. In this case, that comes in the form of the IRIS 9000, a familiar-looking fellow that doubles as a dock for your iPhone 4S. It has a remote that lets you activate Siri from afar, a built-in mic and speaker that lets you interact with Siri (or make phone calls) and, of course, a glowing red LED eye that makes Siri suitably menacing. Now, ThinkGeek has been known to produce some faux products in the past, but last we checked it wasn't April Fools' day, and the company has assured us that this is indeed real and set to be available in the spring of next year for $60. Video of your new favorite desk mate is after the break.
Cyberdyne HAL robotic arm hands-on (video)
If the name Cyberdyne doesn't immediately ring a bell, its HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) robotic suit sure will. Here at CEATEC, we bumped into these folks who kindly offered to strap us onto their latest prototype arm -- a slightly smaller variant of the one installed on Cyberdyne's current suit. Most of the HAL's main part was strapped to the outer side of our upper arm with velcro, while our wrist was tied to the much smaller extendable piece; both parts were hinged together with a power unit. Additionally, a sensory pad was applied onto our forearm's medial cutaneous nerve (around the elbow area) to pick up our muscular nerve signal -- similarly, Cyberdyne's lower-body exosuit requires two sensors on each leg. Our HAL was energized as soon as we tensed our arm muscles, so lifting up the tray of four 1.5kg water bottles was a piece of cake consistently throughout the demo -- we even managed it with just our pinky (see video above)! And as soon as Cyberdyne's lovely assistant Fumi turned the dial down, our superhuman powers were instantly taken away. We weren't given any dates or specs for this piece of kit, but if all goes well, we may well see a brand new full-body suit at CES 2012 in January, so stay tuned. Oh, and can someone please get Cyberdyne some WD-40? Zach Honig contributed to this report. %Gallery-135642%
Aperion Audio's second-gen Zona Home Audio Link cuts the musical tether for $150
No need for the bookshelf speakers? No problem. Aperion Audio just introduced the second-generation Zona Home Audio Link system, enabling cable detesters to send music from any USB / 3.5mm-enabled source to, well... just about anything. The basic HAL package is comprised of a compact wireless transmitter and receiver, and since there's no proprietary shenanigans going on, it's about as universal in nature as you'll find. Needless to say, folks who've been trying to find an easy(ish) way to convert their existing indoor / outdoor speakers into wireless speakers should certainly have a gander, and given that it'll stream uncompressed 16 bit/48 kHz CD-quality audio to up to three simultaneous zones, the $149 price tag just might be justified. Hit the source to learn more (or place your order, if you've heard enough).
Kirby: Mass Attack minigames feature minis, games
Historically, very few small pink blobs have done more to further innovation in the field of minigame design than Kirby, and judging from the above trailer, HAL Laboratory's DS swan-song Kirby Mass Attack will continue that proud tradition. Other continuing traditions include: ruthlessly destroying docile forrest creatures via accurately timed button presses, and ruining Whispy Woods' day in as many ways as possible.%Gallery-132563%
HAL exosuit takes a Cybernic approach to disabled tourism
Cybernics -- it's not a typo, it's a completely new field that mixes cybernetics, mechatronics, and informatics with an all-human core. Pioneered by University of Tsukuba Professor Yoshiyuki Sankai, the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) exosuit originally created to aid Japan's eldery has now found an even nobler mission -- assisting disabled tourists. Through detection of weak muscular bioelectrical impulses in the legs, this RoboCop-like lower body suit boosts its wearer's load-bearing abilities by a whopping 176 pounds. The exoskeleton tech first helped paralyzed Seiji Uchida nearly tackle Switzerland's Breithorn peak in 2006 and is now getting another go at the disabled traveler's bucket list. This time 'round, Uchida hopes his ride atop a HAL-outfitted human will successfully carry him to the top of Normandy's rugged Mont Saint-Michel, paving the way for other similarly handicapped travelers to do the same. Although the robotics in question here is more mech suit than say, dental training real doll, it's still a huge leg up for the nascent research industry that got its kick-start making a wish come true.
Cyberdyne demos lower-body HAL exoskeleton for helping the disabled, not eradicating mankind (video)
Cyberdyne's HAL (Hybrid Assistive limb) robotic suit has been kicking (stumbling?) around for years now, and at this year's Cybernics International Forum, the company demoed a couple of new iterations of the technology. We've seen the heavy-duty version of the technology scale a Swiss peak, but the new demo showcased a lighter and leaner lower-body suit (not unlike Lockheed's HULC system) meant for helping those with muscle diseases remain ambulatory. The differences between the new rig and previously seen full-body exoskeleton -- meant for use by health care professionals and factory workers to aid in heavy lifting -- are less robust servos and a slimmer profile allowing wearers to worry less over their looks and more over living their lives. Peep the bipedal bionics in action after the break.
Ford looks to 'interaction design' for future dashboards
Ever heard of Ideo? Chances are you haven't (unless you're a hardcore designer), but that very design consultancy is credited with the development of the original Apple mouse and for crafting interfaces for Palm. And now, they'll be credited with helping Ford advance its dashboards for the next generation. A long-winded report over at the New York Times details how the Fiesta's T9-inspired dash looked antediluvian by the time it hit American shores, but a company initiative (codenamed HAL) sought to dramatically improve the "cabin experience." In order to do so, Ford has latched onto "interactive design," a concept conjured up by Ideo's co-founder, Bill Moggridge. Specific guidelines were created in order to generate "a sort of universal logic for all the cars' switches and systems," and we're told that it'll apply to all future Ford models around the globe. Hit the source link for the whole shebang.
Aperion Home Audio Link promises to let you go wireless with ease
Looking for a wireless home audio system but not interested in adding any additional docks, speakers or sound systems to your humble abode? Then you might be the sort of individual Aperion is targeting with its new Home Audio Link (or HAL, naturally), which promises to simply let you stream audio from any device to the audio system of your choice (up to three of them, in fact). Similarly to the Mint Studio iPod dock we checked out a few months back, this one passes over WiFi in favor of the plain old 2.4GHz band, which the folks at Gear Patrol say held up plenty well in their tests, with no signs of interference or distortion to be found. Somewhat notably, you can also use the system to wirelessly connect a powered subwoofer, and Aperion is apparently planning on introducing some new subwoofers of its own complete with built-in USB ports to make setup even easier. No timeline for those just yet, but you'll be able to snag the Home Audio Link on January 28th for $150, with additional receivers available for $70 apiece.
Original Smash Bros. rated by ESRB for Wii
North American Wii owners, the wait may soon be over. After years of patient, patient waiting -- and watching the game land on both the European and Japanese Virtual Console -- the original Smash Bros. should soon be winging its way to American Wiis. The evidence: The game has been rated for Wii by the ESRB, hopefully signifying that a release is imminent. In case you were wondering, the game received an E rating, ostensibly making it suitable for everyone. We'll just have to wait and see how Grandma takes it when she gets a Star Rod to the dome.
NVIDIA's GT300 specs outed -- is this the cGPU we've been waiting for?
NVIDIA's been dabbling in the CPU space behind closed doors for years now, but with Intel finally making a serious push into the GPU realm, it's about time the firm got serious with bringing the goods. BSN has it that the company's next-generation GT300 will be fundamentally different than the GT200 -- in fact, it's being hailed as the "first truly new architecture since SIMD (Single-Instruction Multiple Data) units first appeared in graphical processors." Beyond this, the technobabble runs deep, but the long and short of it is this: NVIDIA could be right on the cusp of delivering a single chip that can handle tasks that were typically separated for the CPU and GPU, and we needn't tell you just how much your life could change should it become a reality. Now, if only NVIDIA would come clean and lift away some of this fog surrounding it (and the rumored GTX 380), that'd be just swell.[Thanks, Musouka]
Cyberdyne said to be mass producing $4,200 HAL robotic suit
Years after the HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) suit first debuted, it seems that Cyberdyne's pride and joy is about to get really real. According to a report over at HPlus Magazine, the company is linking up with Daiwa House in order to "begin mass production" of the cybernetic bodysuit. You already know what it does -- inflates the ego, boosts your strength and scores you loads of nerd dates -- but here's the crucial part: $4,200. Of course, there's no hard date on when the first of the 400 annual units produced will be made available, but we'd probably get up with someone about a pre-order if you're serious about going bionic.[Thanks, Phil]
Fanswag: Kirby Super Star Ultra goes to ... [update]
Update: Wow, we can be pretty boneheaded sometimes. We prematurely ended the contest and chose a winner, thinking it ended on Sunday night, as per our usual routine. This latest contest, however, wasn't supposed to end until the evening of Tuesday, October 28th. We apologize for the mistake and will be leaving the contest open, selecting the winner at random again, after it has officially concluded. Sorry to everyone involved, we'll do our best to avoid this mistake in the future. Please ignore all of that at the bottom.Our latest giveaway has come to a close, so it's about time we crowned a winner, right? Who's the lucky individual walking away with a free copy of Kirby Super Star Ultra? Well, it's none other than: greennoo, who likes Kirbuy's stone form Thanks to everyone that entered and better luck next time! We'll be sure to start up our next giveaway real soon.%Gallery-8402%
Fanswag: Kirby Super Star Ultra
That's right, boys and girls, we're hooking up one lucky reader with Nintendo's Kirby Super Star Ultra ($35)! What do you have to do to enter for your chance at this great game? To enter, simply leave a comment between now and Tuesday, October 28th at 11:59PM ET, telling us what your favorite Kirby form is (you know, what happens when he swallows an enemy up!). You can leave one comment per day. We'll select a winner the following day via random drawing. There are a few things you should know before entering. Entrants must be current and legal residents of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec) and at least 18 years of age or older. Read up on the rest of the official rules right here. Good luck!%Gallery-8402%
Fable 2's Spartan armor and energy sword pictured
DailyGame had published several screens of Fable 2's "Master Chief" armor and "Elite Energy Sword" before Microsoft requested the images be taken down. The Hal's Outfit (that's what the MJOLNIR looking suit's called) is obtained by purchasing the Fable 2 Collector's Edition. After downloading the bundle's exclusive content from Xbox Live, players will apparently receive the Hal suit from a treasure chest after leveling up for the first time.The outfit can be seen above and we've placed a better image of the sword after the break.[Via X3F]
