Testing the Robotic Legs of the HAL Exoskeleton
Technology writer Evan Ackerman becomes the first person in the United States to test out the Hybrid Assistive Limb exoskeleton
The Japanese robotics company Cyberdyne has publicly demonstrated its Hybrid Assistive Limb exoskeleton several times, but only company employees or clinical patients were allowed to wear the suit. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, however, technology writer Evan Ackerman became the first person in the United States to take the robotic legs for a test walk.
Cyberdyne has been conducting several patient trials in Japan, where the device is rented to hospitals and clinics for about U.S. $1500 per month.
For more, read the full story:Robot Suit HAL Demo at CES 2011.
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Erico Guizzo is the Director of Digital Innovation at IEEE Spectrum, and cofounder of the IEEE Robots Guide, an award-winning interactive site about robotics. He oversees the operation, integration, and new feature development for all digital properties and platforms, including the Spectrum website, newsletters, CMS, editorial workflow systems, and analytics and AI tools. An IEEE Member, he is an electrical engineer by training and has a master’s degree in science writing from MIT.
Joshua J. Romero is a software developer and journalist. A former IEEE Spectrum senior editor, he holds a bachelor’s degree in astronomy and physics from the University of Arizona and a master’s in journalism from New York University.