Strap-on Skeleton

In
our continuing series of adolescent  science-fiction staples come
to life, we present the computer controlled, strength-enhancing EXOSKELETON.

In the novels they were usually built of space age metals,
light and super-strong, suitable for asteroid mining and deep-space death
matches. Of course in real life they are made of white plastic and designed
to allow elderly Japanese to continue to contribute to a growing economy
with a shrinking population even after their muscles shrivel and atrophy.  For
now.

These systems are potentially capable of lifting
many times what a normal person can, leaping tall obstacles (if not
buildings) with gyroscopic balance and absorb
the
shock
of
landing,
and incorporating
microsecond
reflexes. These babies will be within the limits of technology in the
near future. The military applications are obvious. Exoskeletons can
be protective as well as enhancing. Hey, it works for insects.

TOKYO (Reuters) – They won’t be leaping tall buildings
in a single bound, but Japan’s growing number of elderly may someday
have a new lease of life that allows them to care for themselves — and
maybe even pump a little iron.

A
researcher at Japan’s University of Tsukuba, Sankai has developed a
robotic suit designed to make it easier for elderly people with weak
muscles
to move around or for care-givers to lift them.

The sleek, high-tech
get-up looks like a white suit of armour. It straps onto a person’s
arms, legs
and back and is equipped with a computer, motors and sensors that
detect electric nerve signals transmitted from the brain when a person
tries
to move his limbs.

from Reuters