New generation of 'muscle suits' make light work of heavy lifting
New generation of robotic aids aimed to help the elderly and care workers
With a bend of the knees and a hiss of compressed air being pumped into his "muscles", Hiroshi Kobayashi lifts two 10kg sacks of rice with as much ease as if they were regular-size bags of sugar.
Kobayashi is cheating, but with honourable intentions. He is the brains behind a new generation of "muscle suits" specially designed for Japan's rising number of elderly citizens and their care workers.
"The idea is to help people live independently," said Kobayashi, a professor at Tokyo University of Science who has been perfecting the prototype device for more than a decade.
"The joints are moved by artificial muscles, so the wearer is able to move about unencumbered," he said.
Kobayashi's 5kg muscle suit, which goes on sale next month, is expected to be adopted first by manual and agricultural workers as well as employees at day-care and retirement homes.
As the suits become more affordable, Kobayashi and his collaborators at manufacturer Kikuchi Seisakusho predict they will be used by disabled and elderly people with mobility problems, possibly by the end of this decade.