May 19 2008HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) Suit Gives You Ironman-Like Capabilities. Okay, Not Really
The HAL suit was developed by Cyberdyne (not to be confused with Cyberdyne Systems, the company responsible for manufacturing Terminators). Despite the similar names, the suit is far from having Terminator-like features. Or Ironman for that matter. What is does have are some little blue circles that light up.
When a person attempts to move, nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscles via motoneuron, moving the musculoskeletal system as a consequence. At this moment, very weak biosignals can be detected on the surface of the skin. HAL catches these signals through a sensor attached on the skin of the wearer. Based on the signals obtained, the power unit is controlled to move the joint unitedly with the wearer's muscle movement, enabling to support the wearer's daily activities.
The system was designed with physical rehabilitation and people with permanent disabilities in mind, but it will also be used for heavy labor at factories, rescue support at disaster sites, and the entertainment field. So it may be comparable to the system Raytheon is developing. But at least this one doesn't look like a heap of scrap metal. It looks like an iPod. And what do we know about iPods? That's right -- they don't work after your wife puts them through the wash. So, logically, neither will this suit.
One more picture of the thing in action after the jump.
Thanks Luke and Lee, now lets go dress up in cardboard armor and beat the shit out of each other with tree limbs in the front yard.
Reader Comments
1. Rod - May 19, 2008 2:20 PM
Well at least we're getting there. That's a lot more sleek than the previous robotic suits. Just need to amp up the power, add a flamethrower and a couple machine guns and rockets, and I'm in.
2. JR jr. - May 19, 2008 2:42 PM
Old news again, dude ...
3. Tap - May 19, 2008 2:53 PM
I could swear that read "Hybrid Assassin Limb."
4. ShitBitch Carl - May 19, 2008 3:16 PM
Calling robots HAL is just a bit creepy to me. No one's going to be surprised when there's an "accident," I mean it's almost asking for disaster. Plus, the robots will probably take it as some kind of accusation. Why not just appeal to their inevitable authority and name them GOD, or Superman? Those guys never let us down, right. Right...?
5. rollingpix - May 19, 2008 3:31 PM
Not working! Dude that thing climbed the freaking Matterhorn 13,741-foot mountain CARRYING a full grown man.
6. drive shaft - May 19, 2008 5:14 PM
way to name this after the robot that turns on the human race in space odyssey
7. Skeps - May 20, 2008 2:32 AM
holy shit, I just happened to watch an episode of dark angel today centered around the exact same idea, thats f***ing creepy
8. Taju - May 20, 2008 6:47 AM
repost much?
9. tmhs - May 20, 2008 12:45 PM
Kind of highlights the american vs japanese styles regarding robots.
10. tom - May 20, 2008 3:53 PM
resisitance is futile
11. Liz - May 21, 2008 12:21 AM
Oh what Tron Guy could do with this.
12. WOW - March 31, 2009 8:22 PM
Gay
13. smartass - April 11, 2009 11:23 AM
Cyberdyne?
Oh ya this is real.
14. J-rock - April 12, 2009 12:56 AM
effing CRAZY!
15. Jack - April 12, 2009 9:00 AM
Basically this is for enabling a person in coma to live again!
16. Patricia Huang - September 15, 2009 1:32 AM
Very interesting article, I also write a blog about superhuman technology and gadgets of the future at www.frankenology.blogspot.com. This robot suit looks like a Japanese comic hero especially with the blue lights that light up and the ipod-white exterior. Makes me wonder about the theory of how much of this design was an idea of engineers who have gone wild with their toys and concepts- and needed a good reason to do so!
It was surprising to find out that the machine was not a "strong man" machine because it certainly looks like it...a machine that would be used to help handicapped people move. Although I don't know how practical it is since it is a whole body suit, and the handicapped are usually only handicapped on certain parts of their body, either their legs, or one arm. Now I'm thinking that this is not a well thought out idea...looks great but does not have a wide range of practical uses in the area of handicap people. If they broke the suit down to parts, it would be much more realistic.
What I found most interesting and exciting about the science of body suit is this part of the article, "nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscles via motoneuron... very weak biosignals can be detected on the surface of the skin...moving the musculoskeletal system as a consequence" I believe that using your brain to directly move machinery without lifting a finger is definitely in store for the future, As a suggestion for your future topics, there are even new video game companies developing headgear technology for people to move things inside a computer using only their mind. Perhaps your readers would be interested in seeing an article about this "computer mind control" topic and its range of applications.
Thank you for this article, though with the silly physical appearance of the machine itself, I don't believe it's commercial or realistic in application. It simply shows imagination in engineering- appreciate reading about the possibilities.