Robotic limbs provide mobility to paraplegics or augment the strength and endurance of nurses, firefighters, and soldiers.
The HAL-5 (Hybrid Assisted Limb) from the Cyberdyne Corporation uses coin-sized electromyogram (EMG) sensors on the shoulders, hips, knees and elbows to eavesdrop on the signal sent from the brain to muscles.
During its three-hour battery life, the thought-guided machine can
help a paralyzed human walk, climb stairs or lift up to 175 pounds. The powered suit resembles a Star Wars-vintage storm trooper outfit and has been used to piggyback a paralyzed man to within 500 yards of the summit of Breithorn Mountain in Switzerland.
