Slashdot Mirror
Toyota Demos 'Partner Robots'
angryflute writes "Toyota has created a walker robot that the driver sits in and controls. It's meant for handicapped people to get around with, but you can easily see the potential for this technology to become the basis for a real-world version of an AT-ST Scout Walker or mobile suit Gundam -- just add guns!" Gizmodo has some more pictures.
Aside from that, the assisted mobility thing is going to be a big, big market in the next couple of decades as the baby boomers start hitting the wall (assuming they aren't actually staring down an extra 900 years of life by then). While I seriously hope it won't look much like this given my natural fear of old people in silver spandex, I think we will see a lot of advancement in this field as the money shifts in that direction.
It's not just limited to mobility, either -- picture a recorder that is always working and allows you to privately review what just happened in your spare moments to aid memory? Heh, maybe you could even mark off when you've told a particular story to spare your loved ones the constant retelling...
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.