Remember HAL?  He was the artificial intelligence computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Well, this HAL won’t be shoving people out of any airlocks but it does read minds, sort of.

Looking like a defective Power Rangers costume, HAL (Hybrid Assisted Limb), will work something like an exoskeleton providing strength to otherwise weak limbs.  The suit senses weak thoughts that are transmitted to the wearers limbs to signal the limb to move.  Sensors in the suit pick up these signals and translate them into actual movement by activating the upper and lower limbs of the exoskeleton. The suit has a built in battery pack and control unit. HAL allows people suffering from muscular dystrophy, and other such disabilities to move more easily. 

Besides being used for therapeutic purposes, HAL will also allow manual laborers to lift and carry heavy loads, potentially changing the equipment and personnel needs in various industries.  This technology could easily be translated into new military uses since the suit would allow soldiers to carry considerably more equipment per person.  Of course, the current exoskeleton would have to be modified to cover more of the person and to include bullet proof materials since speed is not a mentioned quality of the suit.

Although Cyberdyne is placing HAL into production, it will only be producing 400 to 500 suits per year beginning this October.  The suits will be provided to medical facilities and also directly to consumers.  However, since the suits will be provided on a monthly rental basis, the cost will probably be prohibitive for individuals since Cyberdyne will be charging around US$1,000 a month in rental fees for individuals and double that for medical institutes.  Hopefully, like all new technology, the costs will come down as the suits become more refined and efficient.

HAL may have entered into existence, but for the majority of the population, Hal will remain more of a fantasy than a reality -for now.

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Entry was posted on Saturday, April 19th, 2008 at 1:36 pm under Health, Japan, Robotics, Science and technology.

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