Japan is making a power suit
You might have already heard about various types of exoskeletons that are currently in the making, but Mitsui, the prime oil and ore mining outfit manufacturer in Japan, is after something 'bigger'. The company wants to create a working replica of a power loader from James Cameron's 'Aliens' movie.
The basis for the project is the wearable exoskeleton called Assist Suit AWN-03 that was designed by ActiveLink and Panasonic. The suit has a 13-pound backpack attached to its leg-support mechanism, allowing the wearer to lift around 30 pounds of weight with almost no effort. Mitsui wants to upgrade the suite by adding controllable arms and legs. "What we have in mind is the Aliens power loader," said one of the Mitsui officials at the suite demonstration event that took place in Tokyo a couple of days ago.
Assist Suit AWN-03
Mitsui plans to create a full-featured version of the suite in two years and hopes to sell at least 1,000 machines within a year after the release. And that might be quite close to reality, as some of the Asian delivery companies have expressed their interest in the project.
