This is for all of you out there that read the ballroom dancer-bot story and decided you needed to master walking before dancing. Nomura Unison Co. along with Tohoku Universities' Kazuhiro Kosuge and Yasuhisa Hirata have created a robotic walking assistant that not only senses its user's behavior, but also detects obstacles in its way and the slope of the floor. The robot is unmotorized but is able to apply the brakes in order to help its user maintain their balance.
They plan on marketing the robot for rehabilitation, the elderly and physically disabled. The unit should be available for around $4,000 USD.
[Via Engadget ]
Tom Corr
I am interested in walking assistant. I am disable with a spinal injury. I have been walking with forearm crutches for 30 years, but my shoullders are wore out from the impact of the crutches. I have been thinkig of ways I can walk without leaning on my crutches and jambing my arm into my shoulder. The robot appears to be something I could keep my balance with while walking. Is there a way I could get a hands on demonstration of this product?
William Cox
Tom,
Maybe you should check out Honda’s “Walking Assist” machines. I don’t know how to get in contact with them, but you could always try contacting some of the reporters that were at their media event in NYC recently.
Tom Corr
Thanks for the suggestion, but I have read a couple of articles on the “Walking assistant” and I think I will sstill need something to hang on to in order to keep my balance.