Japan clears a cybernetic exoskeleton for treating medical conditionsMumbai, Dec 3(AZINS) Cyberdyne (no, not the organization that created The Terminator) is a company in Japan involved in the development of powered exoskeletons. Think Matt Damon in Elysium.

The device, known as HAL--unmistakably reminiscent of the sentient computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey--is in this case an acronym for Hybrid Assistive Limb. It is expected to be used in the treatment and rehabilitation of such diseases as spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, the condition that Stephen Hawking is afflicted with.) This version of the device is the culmination of research that started as far back as 1997.

The robotic suit is designed to assist in locomotion of patients of spinal-related diseases, where it is strapped on to the lower body to effectively augment muscular function, including the ability to stand up and actually walk. The device interfaces with the wearer’s own nervous system where it is able to interpret relevant brain signals and translate them into impulses that control its motors, resulting in the wearer being able to stand up and walk.

The device is also expected to see potential utility in the case of the elderly--especially pertinent in the case of Japan where caring for their significant population of senior citizens is an ongoing challenge. The system is also expected to be instrumental in the treatment of accident victims with spinal injuries resulting in paralysis, and may even facilitate possible regeneration of nerve function.

The company has recently managed to secure government approval for being used as a legitimate medical device, which is a milestone as it is the first-ever robotic device to attain such a status in Japan.