Power Suit Promises Super-Human Strength

anthemaniac writes "LiveScience is reporting out of NextFest on a Japanese-built power suit that amplifies the strength of its wearer. The onboard computer is hooked up to sensors that monitor natural movements, then it inflates cuffs to boost lifting power. The Power Assist Suit could be used by hospital workers to move heavy patients, the researchers say."

Comments

And 2 years prior...

[Dr. Eggman]

The DARPA funded BLEEX was prototyped to allow soldiers to carry 70 pound packs across flat and sloped terrain with hopes of 150 pound capacity in the next 6 monthes.

Both are wonderful applications for exoskeleton technology; between the nature of asymetrical warfare and the retirement of the baby boomers, I think we're going to see alot more veterans and grandpa's go robo. Now if we could only improve that 30 minute battery...

Re:SNL

[PDXNerd]

Or at least pick you up - here are some better pics and a whole slew of great information from the horses mouth. http://www.we.kanagawa-it.ac.jp/~yamamoto_lab/pas/ index.htm

Ready to Wear

[Doc Ruby]

I was at the NextFest last night, and I checked out the exoskeleton. If you think you get a blister when you wear shoes a little too big/small, you'll see how you get several inches rubbed off when you wear one of these contraptions. Maybe by the time they replace our outer layers with some synthetic materials we'll be ready to wear these things all day.

There was a really cool android chick, extremely realistic, which didn't seem to mind at all as the humans grabbed and pulled at "her" body. Now that's something we'll probably have people wearing out more pretty soon.

Re:Knock knock. Who's there? U.S. Military

[krunk4ever]

This reminded me Berkeley's Exoskeleton project: BLEEX
http://bleex.me.berkeley.edu/bleex.htm

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) funded the BLEEX project in 2000. Last November, U.C. Berkeley's Human Engineering and Robotics Laboratory, successfully demonstrated the first experimental Exoskeleton in which the pilot (i.e., the wearer) could carry a heavy load, while feeling only a few-pound load.

What's the price tag?

[TheLink]

If it's really expensive and stays expensive, it may be cheaper to hire someone strong enough to do the job. In lots of places the cost of labour is lower than in Japan.

Re:The difference between Japan and the US

[arthurh3535]

Gee, stereotype much?

While the US has/have been working on exo-frame type technology for military purposes, it is not a purely "American" concept. USA and Japan have both had fictional characters based on "power armor" and such. Iron Man, Knight Sabers, Starship Troopers.

Though isn't it interesting that the mundane or boring use is the first wide-spread use is going to be a pragmatic use?

Innovation comes to where it is needed first, not where we necessarily want it to go.