• Science

    Rent a Robotic Suit Named HAL

    By John Brandon Posted on 10.8.2008 12 Comments

    Starting this Friday, disabled and elderly people in Japan will be able to rent a robotic suit to help them become more mobile. Available in a two-leg (for a $2200-per-month rental fee) or one-leg version ($1500/month), the suit -- called HAL, for Hybrid Assistive Limb -- reads brain signals and directs leg movement. Yoshiyuki Sankai, the creator of the robot suit, is a professor at the University of Tsukuba and the CEO of Cyberdyne, which is manufacturing and renting the suits.

    10.9.2008 at 04:20pm - Comment by plutosdad

    Wait a minute, this thing is named HAL? And made by Cyberdyne? this must be the biggest threat to humanity since ... well something. Imagine the following scenarios: You are wearing the suit, it pulls your hand out whipping into someone's head killing them. At the trial while on the stand trying to explain it wasn't you your suit says "these things have always been due to ... human ... error" You are all excited because you found the secret plan they have to take over humanity. You are about to call the FBI when your suit forces you to sit down. "Relax, take a stress pill" it says, as your suit moves your hands to open the bottle of sleeping pills and pours them in your mouth. And it goes without saying anyone named Dave who wears this is going to die.



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