The Gundams are coming, the Gundams are coming!

[Assassin]

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1900202,00.html

Leave it to the japs.

[David75]

I've been following those suits for 2 years I think.
The function I like best is the help it will someday offer to paralysed people. Why "will"?
Well because those suits today are in fact following/assisting the wearer's movements.

For paralysed people, the suit will have to totally replace the functions of the legs, which is incredibly more difficult to perform with security, accuracy and enough speed. Balance in all situations, steps, slipery surfaces, soft surfaces (snow, sand) are all difficult to manage for an autonomous system. Many prototypes are almost there. Thing is, we need 99,9999% reliability, even though non paralysed people fall too, sometimes.

[Kraco]

Like with most nonstationary things, we need an energy storage breakthrough to make it really convenient.

[David75]

Sure, eventhough I remember thinking it wasn't that bad (I can't remember precise figures)

Problem lies in the price and even projected prices. But I guess mass production could change that in 10 and then 20, 30 years.
Cool, right by the time we might need them :D

Edit:
Just read an article about it.
Autonomy is said to be 2h40minutes. It's safe to think it's at least 1 hour for "average use".
Can be rented for 1 500€ a month ( the article says for retirement homes)

[Buffalobiian]

It gives me Patlabor vibes more so than Gundam, but who cares? i wonder how the strength detection would work? They say they detect intended movement through the current on the skin.. yet how does a human try to exert 100lbs of force? I'll want to find out, since they'll have to figure out how to accurately interpret a handshake and not a vice grip.

[enkoujin]

IT'S MORE LIKE DRAGOONS/IMMORTALS THAN GUNDAMS

4 AUIRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[David75]

It gives me Patlabor vibes more so than Gundam, but who cares? i wonder how the strength detection would work? They say they detect intended movement through the current on the skin.. yet how does a human try to exert 100lbs of force? I'll want to find out, since they'll have to figure out how to accurately interpret a handshake and not a vice grip.

Well, the exoskeleton only assists limbs large articulations, not the hands for example.
Basically you have:
the back
the shoulders
elbows and forearms with basic hooks for force workers. I guess that part can be specialised to the tasks (with replaçable tools)
hips
knees
ankles and feet support, that last part being either only the heel or the whole foot for paralysed people.

For the moment, it really is designed as a body "force enhancer".

Regarding how it works?
Well you do not just have current sensors I guess. There are motion and pressure sensors I'm sure.
Then you have algorithms that adapt to sensing data. Fine movement replication has been mastered for a while now.
Remember those surgery robots controled from the other side of the earth by a surgeon? Same movement sensing problems, same solutions, of course in a different setting.