Powersuits for all

Classy. But can it tango?

Those who fear the rise of robots and artificial intelligence have just gotta love one project in Japan that hits all the right buttons - Tsukuba University Professor Yoshiyuki Sankai's efforts to commercialize a strength-enhancing robotic suit.

The product name: HAL. The company: Cyberdyne.

Coincidence? Perhaps. Regardless, Sankai's robosuit, which boosts arm and leg power in response to user brain signals, just jumped closer to commercialization thanks to a 1 billion yen capital injection from major Japanese homebuilder Daiwa House Industry Co. The company took a 15% stake in Cyberdyne, a venture set up by Tsukuba U. and helmed by the good professor.

They plan to start mass production with annual output of 400 HAL suits, which are designed to help elderly Japanese stay mobile and independent longer. Wearers can tote objects weighing over 20 kg, no sweat, but they can't leap tall buildings yet. The suits would be available for rent or purchase, with a possible price tag of about 500,000 yen, or $4,200. Daiwa House is also planning HAL classes at its fitness club and even special HAL homes for wearers, according to Nikkei News.

I can already see newly young oldsters partnering up for another servo waltz.

HAL-lelujah.