Toyota recently gave a demonstration of some new robots that have been developed with Fujita Health University: machines that assist people who have trouble moving. First up, there’s a walking assistant for folks that have one paralyzed leg i.e. due to a stroke, but retain the use of their groin muscles. It attaches to one leg and can help them swing their leg back and forth as though they were walking normally. It features a backpack that contains the battery and controller which will be reduced in size and turned into a pouch at launch.The next robot they demonstrated was a balance training assistant robot for helping people to develop a sense of balance. And lastly they showed off a robot that can help people move out of bed and into a wheelchair – something that currently requires two people (depending on the size of the patient) and can cause a burden on the caregiver’s back. Not to mention, a robot assistant could also help set a patient’s mind at ease.
It sure looks like humanity has a bright future ahead with the use of these helpful robots. The robots will be released from 2013 onward. Check out the video demonstrations courtesy of Diginfo: