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Saturday, July 5, 2008

Walking Assist Device - by Honda Motors

In robotic world, there are so many categories of robots. Examples can be manufacturing robots, medical robots, outer space exploration robots, agricultural robots, and the most recent one, the humanoid robot. Many will immediately think of ASIMO when talking about robots. It’s the popular robotic research by HONDA.

Now, HONDA, with its continuous R&D in its technologies in many sectors, has now announced its latest development in assisting human. It's the Walking Assist Device.


It’s a device to support people with difficulties in walking. Targeting at elderly or those having weak legs.

This device consists of two intelligent motors. Each motor responsible of supporting one leg. Both function in harmony to assist the person to walk more comfortably.

The device claimed to help one to increase his/her distance of footstep. This means, he/she will be able to walk with bigger steps. It’s meant for those having shorter than normal footstep. Well, I believe the footstep distance is limited to the actual possible step that the person is able to achieve comfortably. Otherwise he or she will have too big the footstep and that will pose unpleasant outcome.

(Quoted from Honda World Site) Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will begin collaborative testing of its experimental walking assist device as from July 1, 2008, with Shinseikai Medical Group, Kasumigaseki-Minami Hospital (Kawagoe, Saitama prefecture).


The device will be evaluated to monitor its performance in helping people at rehabilitation centre to relearn walking. Device bugs (issues) will be identified and solved during the period.

So, not long we will see many elderly able to walk more energetically with this Walking Assist device.

Reference:
http://world.honda.com/news/2008/c080630Walking-Assist-Device/