An Invention That Will Change Us Forever

If you’ve seen the previews for the GI Joe film that is to be released this week in the US and eventually worldwide, you may have noticed the robotic suits that many of the characters are wearing. These suits are meant to enhance human capabilities. The idea of these types of suits has been prevalent in the science fiction realm for almost as long as one can remember. And thanks to Cyberdyne, a Japanese robotics company, the suits will soon be available to the average person, at under $5,000. And most probably will become cheaper as others join in the production of such suits.

Mechanical, Electrical, Engineering and Robotic magazines have been covering the development of the robotic suits for well over a decade. Militaries have invested millions of dollars in research and development and though Cyberdyne’s robots are for non-violent purposes, the militaries of the world will soon have their own human enhancement suits.

Cyberdyne Corporation believes the technology can have a variety of applications, including in physical training and rehabilitation, adding extra "muscle" to heavy labor jobs, and even in rescue and recovery operations. HAL, Hybrid Assistive Limbs, is an exoskeleton primarily to enhance the wearer's existing physical capabilities 10-fold. The exoskeleton detects using a sensor attached to the skin of the person wearing the suit. The brain signals that are sent to muscles to get them moving can be detected on the skin. The exoskeleton's computer analyzes these signals to determine how it must move and with how much force, to assist the wearer. The company claims that the device can also operate autonomously which is important when used by people suffering from spinal cord injuries or other physical disabilities resulting from strokes or other disorders.

The future of what man can accomplish physically will forever be changed as the suits become more popular among people. Imagine the combination of your television, computer and smart phone being simply an add-on to the exoskeleton suit. On the darker side, imagine criminals obtaining these suits. With the commencement of HAL’s mass production, I believe we have produced yet another technology that will change the way we live.

Here is just one of many videos of the suit in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKYabUPOoBg

Here is a link to an article about military robots http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3698404-man-eating-robots