HAL ( Eng. Hybrid Assistive Limb ) is an experimental exoskeleton developed at the University of Tsukuba ( Japan ) by the Japanese robotic company Cyberdyne . At the moment, two prototypes have been developed - HAL 3 (restoration of the motor function of the legs) and HAL 5 (restoration of the arms, legs and torso). With HAL 5, the operator is able to lift and carry objects five times the mass of the maximum load under normal conditions.
Servo drives are driven by electrical pulses generated by the muscles and captured by electrodes attached to the skin of the operator. These pulses enter a built-in computer that evaluates loads and activates the necessary exoskeleton servos. The exoskeleton itself is powered by a 100 volt battery attached to the waist.
On October 7, 2008, an announcement appeared about the possibility of renting an exoskeleton. [1] A model weighing 10 kilograms serves only footwork and is attached to the waist and legs. A single leg model is also available.
Japanese company Cyberdyne plans to lease about 500 exoskeletons in the first year of production.
Since 2013, HAL has been used in several clinics in Japan for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic diseases of the nervous and muscular systems. In August 2013, the technology passed the certification of the TÜV Rheinland Group , which allows its use in the EU. Germany became the first country after Japan where HAL is used for therapeutic purposes as HAL-therapy . [2] In January 2018, Cyberdyne received a license to sell HAL in the United States. [3]
Content
History
The first HAL prototype was proposed by Yoshuki Sankai , a professor at Tsukuba University. Fascinated by robots from elementary school, Sankai sought to create a robotic suit that would allow "helping people." [4] Sankai began developing HAL after receiving a doctorate in robotics in 1989.
The third HAL prototype, developed in the early 2000s, was attached to a computer. Only its battery weighed almost 22 kilograms and required two assistants, which made it very impractical [5] . In contrast, the later HAL-5 model weighs only 10 kilograms, and its battery and control computer are tied to the user's waist [6] .
Cyberdyne began using the HAL suit for medical purposes in 2008. By October 2012, more than 300 HAL suits were used by 130 medical facilities and nursing homes across Japan. This costume is available for rent at the institute only in Japan for a monthly fee of $ 2,000 [7] . In December 2012, Cyberdyne was certified by ISO 13485, the international quality standard for the design and manufacture of medical devices, Underwriters Laboratories [8] . At the end of February 2013, the HAL suit received a global safety certificate, becoming the first power exoskeleton. In August 2013, the lawsuit received an EU certificate authorizing its use for medical purposes in Europe as the first of its kind medical robot [9] [10] .
Usage
HAL is designed for people with motor dysfunction, the elderly, as well as for jobs that require increased physical activity - construction and rescue during disasters. HAL enables long-term rehabilitation for patients with disabilities. In addition, scientific studies have shown that, in combination with specially created therapeutic games, exoskeletons like HAL-5 can stimulate a child’s cognitive abilities and help children with disabilities learn how to walk using the game. [11] Further scientific studies have shown that HAL therapy can be effectively used for rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury or after a stroke.
See also
- Hal therapy
Notes
- ↑ Faster, Better, Stronger: HAL Robot Exoskeletons Available for Rent , Elain Chow, Gizmodo, October 7, 2008
- ↑ Source: Article “HAL Exoskeleton - Rehabilitation after Spinal Fracture” (inaccessible link) , on the BERmed website
- ↑ US medical facilities will prescribe exoskeletons , January 29, 2018
- ↑ Cyberdyne power suit . YouTube (July 31, 2009). Date of treatment July 20, 2017.
- ↑ New Scientist: Japanese scientists invented the "bio-cybernetic suit" that gives superpower , NEWSru.com . Date of treatment July 28, 2017.
- ↑ The first commercial version of the HAL-5 exoskeleton has been released | IT cream:! . tphp.ru. Date of treatment July 28, 2017.
- ↑ Robots to the rescue in aging Japan (October 12, 2012). Date of treatment July 28, 2017.
- ↑ [chrome-extension: //ecnphlgnajanjnkcmbpancdjoidceilk/content/web/viewer.html? Source = extension_pdfhandler & file = http% 3A% 2F% 2Fdatabase.ul.com% 2Fcerts% 2FPDWS.A18103.pdf Certificate of registration] .
- ↑ Global Companies from Japan , Discuss Japan - Japan Foreign Policy Forum:. Date of treatment July 28, 2017.
- ↑ TÜV Rheinland Issues EC certificate for Cyberdyne's Medical Robot Suit HAL® | jp | TÜV Rheinland (German) . www.tuv.com. Date of treatment July 28, 2017.
- ↑ Dominique Archambault. Computers for the Development of Young Disabled Children - Introduction to the Special Thematic Session // Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs. - London, UK, UK: Springer-Verlag, 2002. - S. 170–172 . - ISBN 3540439048 .