This video illustrates another practice in robotics that enhances and distorts the human gait: the exoskeleton. In the tradition of bionics, wearers strap a motorised assemblage to their body, and the device senses nerve signals running through the limbs, and amplifies these into movements. It is designed for people with poor mobility (broken leg, aged etc) and rehabilitation. The “Hybrid Assistive Limb” (HAL) is being developed by Japanese scientists at Cyberdine Corporation and Professor Sankai of Tsukuba University.
The very deliberate, (robotic) gait that wearers adopt when strapped into this is reminiscent of cinematic clichés about how robots move. Rather than allowing movement in-between each step, this device regulates the gait, while giving enhanced strength.
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