Japan Automakers Look To Robots To Keep Elderly On the Move (reuters.com)

Japanese automakers are looking beyond the industry trend to develop self-driving cars and turning their attention to robots to help keep the country's rapidly graying society on the move. From a report: Toyota said it saw the possibility of becoming a mass producer of robots to help the elderly in a country whose population is ageing faster than the rest of the world as the birthrate decreases. The country's changing demographics place its automakers in a unique situation. Along with the issues usually associated with falling populations such as labor shortages and pension squeezes, Japan also faces dwindling domestic demand for cars. Toyota, the world's second largest automaker, made its first foray into commercializing rehabilitation robots on Wednesday, launching a rental service for its walk assist system, which helps patients to learn how to walk again after suffering strokes and other conditions.

Comments

I want a lift suit

[SuperKendall]

I know this story is really about using devices to help keep older people mobile...

But I can't help that leading to thoughts of robot exoskeletons and all of the great things people could do with them, young and old.

One thing I'd like almost more than anything is some kind of lift suit - basically a suit you could put on to replace a forklift, and let you lift objects many times heavier than you are along with being able to walk them someplace else.

That could be useful for so many people, and still have your limbs moving as they would otherwise when moving or lifting so it would still help the elderly train... you could even dial in the amount of assistance the suit offered.

Re:I want a lift suit

[Ceriel Nosforit]

How does 1kW per leg sound to you?

Servos are miniaturizing fast.

Re: I want a lift suit

[Anonymous Coward]

Now that volume is low most money to be made is in the medical devices sector.

It's not like power suits aren't there in the pipeline though.

Cyberdyne's HAL suit has a work version that assists in heavy lifting. That's also mainly marketed to the healthcare industry currently, though.

Can't wait to have my garden HAL.

Re: I want a lift suit

[spinitch]

Expanding beyond warehouse lifting can provide a resource constrained nation like Japan with ability to improve mobility and productivity of people. Physical therapy can forestall institutional admissions which already in short supply due to limited staffing. Semi old can continue to care for very old without hurting each other. Thinking pre - hoyer lift living. Plus a new export product opportunity after refining on a more receptive domestic environment.

Re:I want a lift suit

[Baron_Yam]

The problem with super-strength is that it doesn't come with (all that much) super-mass.

So, you think you can lift 1000kg now? Sure, but you're actually going to pull your face down unless that suit has flipper-like feet.

Japan already tried this in the early 90s

[Verdatum]

They even made a documentary about it, called Roujin Z.

Re:Japan already tried this in the early 90s

[kit_triforce]

Thank you! I thought of this immediately and had to see if anyone else had thought of it! If I had mod points I would have used them on you!

The scary thing is just how prophetic this movie could be with this.

Re:Japan already tried this in the early 90s

[Verdatum]

I'm glad a couple people knew the reference. But yeah, the insight of the movie is a big part of why it was so well regarded. Not that the anime was the first to acknowledge the huge problem of the Baby Boomer population in Japan, but it did help to widen the dialogue and realize that yeah, about now, caring for the elderly is going to involve a lot of work.

Still, I'm hopeful that the robots employed here won't be experimental military prototypes that are imbued with the personality of the users' dead loved ones. The movie taught us that this could be a bit perilous.

Anyone else picture

[watermark]

Anyone else picture robots chasing old people around?

Re:Anyone else picture

[tlambert]

Anyone else picture robots chasing old people around?

With electrified "encouragement sticks"; yes.

Re:Anyone else picture

[Michael Duggan]

Actually, I envisioned https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roujin_Z.

Misread the Title

[mykepredko]

I first read it as "Japanese Automakers To Keep Elderly On The Move" and thought that Roger Corman has the concept all ready for them: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt00...

Turn signals!

[Anonymous Coward]

Make sure those robots can hear when the turn signals are on, and turn them OFF!!!

Roujin Z

[yoda-dono]

Yeah, I think I've seen this before; doesn't go well if the old people want to go to the beach.

Re:Cynic's view

[oic0]

Immigrants would do great in a country with insane cost of living and space problems.

Re:I think it will work

[lgw]

Do you have stairs in your house?

Re:Fuck Robots

[lgw]

Fuck Robots

Sounds like you need Old Glory Insurance - for when the metal ones come for you.

Re:I think it will work

[Thud457]

this will never work.
robots will steal the elderly's medicine.

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Make it a movie called "Rogans Run".

Domo Arigato...

[Thelasko]

Mister Roboto

Re:A perfect case for initial deployment

[Hognoxious]

And the chicks have diddly-doodlies that go sideways. Fact. Read it on the internet.

Re: Cynic's view

[demonlapin]

I doubt most of them could tell a Greek and a Dane apart, but anyone who's spent their life around a significant European-derived population would have little trouble. Yes, corner cases exist, but really, it's not that hard if you know the populations involved well.

There are some devices along those lines

[drinkypoo]

Robot arm helper to help assembly line workers

Robot legs to help lift and carry things

These devices are already in use by automakers today.

Expect to see what you're talking about (full exoskeletons) within ten years or so. As always, it's the battery power issue stopping it.