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Robotic Suit For Rent In Japan

Posted by timothy on from the low-miles-one-owner-died-quick dept.

xTantrum writes with an AP story that begins "A robotic suit that reads brain signals and helps people with mobility problems will be available to rent in Japan for $2,200 a month starting Friday — an invention that may have far-reaching benefits for the disabled and elderly."

43 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory... by ScytheLegion · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new $2,200/month Robotic Suit Overlords.

    1. Re:Obligatory... by itlurksbeneath · · Score: 4, Funny

      Given that the name of the company that's making the suits is Cyberdyne, I think that's the single most appropriate use of the "overlords" meme I've ever seen.

      --
      Have you ever considered piracy? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts.
    2. Re:Obligatory... by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Funny
      "Be welcome O Robotic Suit Overlords !!!!!"

      That is Mr. Roboto to you sir!

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    3. Re:Obligatory... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Dirty mind is a joy forever...

      I misread it as "$2,200/month Robotic Slut Overlords."

    4. Re:Obligatory... by d0rp · · Score: 2, Interesting

      the suits are also called HAL (hybrid assistive limb), so you really have to wonder...

    5. Re:Obligatory... by TheMidnight · · Score: 2, Funny

      Domo aregato, Mr. Roboto.

    6. Re:Obligatory... by AgentSmith · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Cyberdyne, a new company in Tsukuba outside Tokyo, will mass-produce HAL. Two people demonstrated the suits at the company's headquarters on Tuesday."

      Cyberdyne producing HAL!?

      Good god, are they TRYING to tempt fate? Expect to see exhausted pensioners in Japan running around the street while their robotic suits are running rampant.

      You beat me to it.

      Humanity! We're just begging for it!
      Might as well have a company called the Seventh Seal run by a guy called Morningstar.
      When on the company's opening day he opens the large front doors that happened to be shaped
      like a large scroll with a wax seal. The company starts a large Web 2.0 AI network to control the entire
      defense system of the free world.

      You've been warned people! Warned I tells ya!

  2. fp bitches! by shaitand · · Score: 4, Insightful

    'an invention that may have far-reaching benefits for the disabled and elderly'

    Not for $2200/month it won't.

    1. Re:fp bitches! by Splab · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well it wont help in places where elderly are expected to take care of themselves - however in the civilized parts of the world where the government takes care of their elderly and disabled this will have huge benefits for all.

    2. Re:fp bitches! by TubeSteak · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well it wont help in places where elderly are expected to take care of themselves - however in the civilized parts of the world where the government takes care of their elderly and disabled this will have huge benefits for all.

      You let me know what country takes care of their eldery to the tune of $2200 per month, because that's where I want to retire.

      Last I checked, most of those "civilized parts of the world" are either reforming their State pension systems or are planning to.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    3. Re:fp bitches! by clarkkent09 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      in the civilized parts of the world where the government takes care of their elderly

      Government doesn't take care of the elderly, taxpayers do. If you are going to take my money and pass it on to the elderly then at least give credit where it's due.

      --
      Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
    4. Re:fp bitches! by TheLink · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What they should do is stop discouraging people from having supersize meals and chain smoking. And put heavy taxes on tobacco and fries.

      That'll help take care of the elderly :).

      --
    5. Re:fp bitches! by TheJasper · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I can quite imagine in my parts of the world this being a feasible benefit for the elderly *and* the disabled. This doesn't mean everyone over 65 is all of a sudden going to be outfitted like robocop. It means that if this technology will significantly improve someones standard of living then 26,400 isn't the issue.

      As for magically appearing...nothing ever does. First you have to have the machines. At the same time pretty much you need doctors, therapists and tecnicians trained to work with the machine. Then you have to probably teach people to work with it.
      It's not the money that will be a big problem but the support structure. Even so, I'm sure in 10-20 years you'll be seeing these things or similar ones on the same level as a wheelchair.

    6. Re:fp bitches! by Splab · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well Denmark is spending more than that per month.

      Having such a suit means the elderly can get up and down stairs by themselves, go shopping on their own - that means freeing up workers and giving companies more people to hire, while we are currently feeling a bit of pain due to the financial crisis we still have more job offerings than people to hire.

    7. Re:fp bitches! by compro01 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      $2200 for now. Remember, this is a first-gen product.

      --
      upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
    8. Re:fp bitches! by smoker2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, because you would just donate your money every time you see an elderly person in trouble. Same as how you maintain the roads, and defend the country.

    9. Re:fp bitches! by SoupIsGoodFood_42 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You pay the government to take problems off your hand. Give credit where it's due.

    10. Re:fp bitches! by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Informative

      "socialized healthcare is great until someone has to pay for it."--what is that even supposed to mean?

      It means that while a more equitable distribution of certain resources is a desirable situation, it doesn't solve the problem of providing the aforementioned resources.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    11. Re:fp bitches! by RMH101 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Dude, they've got a robotic suit. I'm picturing armies of elderly gundams. They can take what they want - who's going to stop them?

    12. Re:fp bitches! by digitalgiblet · · Score: 2, Funny

      You let me know what country takes care of their eldery to the tune of $2200 per month, because that's where I want to retire.

      Last I checked, most of those "civilized parts of the world" are either reforming their State pension systems or are planning to.

      Let me further refine that statement by saying "...what country takes care of their elderly to the tune of $2200 per month FOR ROBOTIC EXOSKELETON SUITS WITH WHICH TO DOMINATE THE YOUNG, ROBOTIC-EXOSKELETON-FREE KIDS ON THEIR LAWNS."

    13. Re:fp bitches! by dbrutus · · Score: 2

      Actually there are people who donate more to help people out than they pay in taxes. The bottom half of the income distribution in the US pays almost no taxes. Some of them do, however, give to charities.

  3. Bzzt. Movie reference overload by Kjella · · Score: 5, Funny

    Cyberdyne, a new company in Tsukuba outside Tokyo, will mass-produce HAL.

    Cyberdyne? Will produce HAL? Outlook not so good.

    --
    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    1. Re:Bzzt. Movie reference overload by Elldallan · · Score: 2, Funny

      I wonder how long it takes for them to announce their new cloud computing interface conveniently named Skynet
      or perhaps their Cylon line of robotic factory workers.

    2. Re:Bzzt. Movie reference overload by hellop2 · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Outlook not so good."

      Hey, what's with all the Microsoft bashing?

      --
      How many more years will slashdot have an off-by-one error on your Score in your profile?
  4. What about ./ers by kamikazearun · · Score: 2, Funny

    and _their_ "mobility problems"?

    1. Re:What about ./ers by Kjella · · Score: 4, Funny

      What about ./ers and _their_ "mobility problems"?

      Just a myth. We just don't want to leave the basement.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    2. Re:What about ./ers by kamikazearun · · Score: 3, Funny

      What about ./ers and _their_ "mobility problems"?

      Just a myth. We just don't want to leave the basement.

      Clever. Clever. I notice how you say "the basement" suggesting there's a chance that said basement might actually belong to you.

  5. Cyberdyne? by ameline · · Score: 3, Funny

    Anyone remember what happened the last time we let Cyberdyne make anything remotely robotic? :-)

    --
    Ian Ameline
    1. Re:Cyberdyne? by thermian · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Summer Glau, is that you?

      If all robots looked like her, I'd be the first in the queue for robotic domination...

      --
      A learning experience is one of those things that say, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' - D. Adams
  6. It's only a matter of time... by dexmachina · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Why's this damn thing taking me to the ledge. Stop! Hey! Stop it!" "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that..."

  7. Sounds cool by oodaloop · · Score: 3, Funny

    What weapon systems come with it? I didn't see any listed, but I'd have to assume it at least has flamethrowers or some sort of rockets.

    --
    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    1. Re:Sounds cool by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Funny

      ... or it's a dyslexic prude who thought it meant iron balls.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  8. Lies by Onaga · · Score: 4, Informative

    It isn't really reading brain signals. From the own company's website, they say the system detects signals on the surface of the skin (of what is intended to be moved). That is why they demonstrate it with partially paralyzed people. If the spinal column cannot relay any signal at all to the legs, then the system cannot work.

  9. Pictures by F�an�ro · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not to mention it will make you look like TRON:
    http://www.cyberdyne.jp/english/robotsuithal/index.html

    What's not to like?

  10. Startup commands. by GrpA · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hear that the first beta testers are annoyed that to bootstrap the suit, they have to stand in a spread-eagle configuration and yell out "Power Extreme!"

    GrpA

    --
    Enjoy science fiction? "Turing Evolved" - AI, Mecha, Androids and rail-gun battles. What more could you want?
  11. obligatory! (sorry, I could not help it) by apodyopsis · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Stop them Gromit! They're the wrong trousers and they've gone all wrong!"

    My favorite mechanical trouser mayhem.

    From one of my favorite short films ever!

    Though I have no idea how well known it is out of the UK.

    Now if only I could find my copy of 'Electronics for Dogs'.

  12. It's in the tags, but not the comments by initialE · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Roujin Z
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roujin_Z

    Fear.

    --
    Starbucks, Harbuckle of Breath.
  13. That's all well and good, but.... by Temtongkek · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..until I have a lightweight, flexible, ultra-thin suit capable of delivering awesomeness, babe-magnetic badassery and courage enough to socialize, like this, I'm simply not interested.

  14. Elderly 209 by Zaphod-AVA · · Score: 4, Funny

    [ED 209] You have twenty seconds to get off my lawn. [/ED 209]

  15. DEAR GOD NO by loafula · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Anyone who has ever seen the elderly try to drive a car already knows this is a HORRIBLE idea.

    --
    FOXTROT UNIFORM CHARLIE KILO
  16. Re:Amen to that -- remember what cell phones cost. by Shotgun · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The problem is that they will be running up against the Laws of Physics. You can make it smaller and lighter all you want, as long as you don't run up against those most enforced of laws.

    Phones and video games just have to produce voltages large enough to represent 1s and possibly 0s. Maybe produce some light. You can get away with using less power if you can make the electronics smaller. A nice feedback loop.

    This robotic system has to actually lift and move things. Things that are not getting smaller. It takes a given amount of power to lift a 170lb person. You can't make the power requirement smaller. To be mobile, something to generate that power has to be carried along. There are several ways of possibly accomplishing this task, but don't count on any major revolutions.

    --
    Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
    Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
  17. Re:Whatever happened by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Informative

    When did it become accepted to just dump them on the corner for other people to pay for?

    Probably around the same time that two incomes became necessary to support a family.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  18. Korea just announced their version of the suit by CodyRazor · · Score: 2, Funny

    They're calling it the Dragoon

    --
    So Skulldilocks threw acid on the schoolchildrens' faces, cause somebody from the bible told her to do it!