This article was taken from the July 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
If you've got a heavy load to carry -- and that could include yourself -- Activelink, a Kyoto-based robotics firm, has developed the Power Loader, a suit named after the exoskeleton controlled by Ellen Ripley in
Aliens. "I'm weaker than the average man," says Ikuyo Matsuo, who designed the Power Loader. "That's why I think I'm better at working out which part of the body needs to be assisted and how. When I try to lift my leg, if the Power Loader is moving correctly, it feels easier. But if I don't control it right, it increases the burden. You need to be sensitive enough to notice the difference -- a burly guy just wouldn't get it."
Our ageing society will boost demand for such mechanical assistants, according to Hiromichi Fujioto, the founder of Activelink. "First we'll use the technology to assist heavy labour in construction," he says. <span class="s2">"But from 2020 onwards, the demand will be universal."
There are two Power Loader models.
The MS-02 (above) is an aluminium-alloy mountable version that lets you lift 100kg by detecting the strength and direction of the forces you apply. The PLL-02 (left) weighs just 45kg. Activelink's recruitment policy ensures its staff includes men and women of varied ages and sizes, so the Power Loaders can be exposed to different users. "They are difficult to design," says Go Shiorgauchi, the company's head of technology. "If we tailor them to a specific user, they become awkward for others."
So, now we have the Power Loader, let's talk about building a dropship...
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
