HAL Will Have New Challenger For Cyborg Supremacy
… as soon as the wearer manages to put it on.
Remember HAL-5, the sleek exoskeletons created by Japan’s Cyberdyne Inc? Well, the Japanese, known for their knack of bringing Hollywood ideas into the real world (Cyberdyne’s a namesake of the sinister company from the Terminator series), are at it again. This time, they’ve chosen the movie Aliens as their new subject.
Activelink, a company owned by consumer electronics manufacturing giant Panasonic, is currently developing a wearable contraption named Dual Arm Amplification Robot . It is mainly composed of two gigantic aluminum grappling robotic arms – just like the one worn by Sigourney Weaver.
There’s one major hitch though. While the device can enable the user to lift a 200-pound load, it alone already weighs an astounding 500 pounds. The demo video below shows it being supported by cables as it is worn by the user. Apparently, more research is needed before the Dual Arm Amplification Robot can see action.
Chief Engineer Go Shirogauchi only has nonviolent plans for it (but if we spot one being used to challenge a HAL-5 cyborg for a mano-a-mano, you’ll be among the first to know). Mr. Shirogauchi envisions it to be a platform for wearable robots designed for laborious tasks such as those associated with disaster relief, warehousing, and construction.
