A full-body model of HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb), being developed by Tsukuba University professor Yoshiyuki Sankai, assists both arms and legs, and allows users to carry a load of up to 70kg with one arm.
Battery-powered HAL, which detects muscle impulses to anticipate and support the user’s body movements, was originally designed to help the elderly with mobility and manual work and to assist hospital carers in lifting patients.
The specially-designed exoskeleton suit will enable Uchida’s (paralysed from his waist down) carrier (someone wearing the exoskeleton will carry the paralyzed man) to bear an 80kg load, whereas Uchida only weighs 45kg.
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