Communications of the ACM
Tokyo Students Design a New Robotic Muscle Suit
A Tokyo University of Science student wearing a robotic suit carried five 10-kilogram bags (about 110 lb.) of rice in a demonstration at the International Robot Exhibition.
Credit: Martyn Williams / IDG News Service
Tokyo's University of Science demonstrated a new version of a robotic muscle suit during the recent International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo. The wearable robotic suit is designed to provide assistance to the back only, compared to the original version, which supports the arms and back.
During the demonstration, a student wearing the new robotic suit bent down and lifted 15 kilograms of weights, which is difficult for many people to do without assistance and could result in an injury for some. The new suit for assisting the muscles with strenuous tasks is lighter and more compact than the original suit, which has been in production for several years and is more helpful for heavier tasks.
The new version of the robotic muscle suit is the first prototype, but the university says it could be available some time in 2010. The university says that robotic muscle suits could help people who are physically challenged as well as workers who have physically demanding jobs.
From Computerworld Australia
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