CYBERDYNE Inc., a Japanese start-up developming robotic suits announced September 30 that it launched work assisting equipment HAL for Task Support–Back Load Reduction Type that help wearers lift heavy load. The device, which can reduce burden on the back by 40% will be introduced at Obayashi Corp’s construction site in Tokyo.

CYBERDYNE’s robotic suites detect very faint bioelectric signals on the skin surface transmitted when a user is about to move and then assist the worker’s movements such as standing, walking and lifting. The device developed to serve workers in fields such as manufacturing, logistics and construction weighs only 3kg to enable hard work engagement for a long time. The rental price will be between 120,000 and 140,000 yen a month.

An official of Obayashi Corp., the first company to introduce the devices at construction sites, said that the firm aims to take advantages of the products to improve the working environment and productivity. (2014/10/01)