PN Futura » News » Robotic suits give construction workers a power surge

He might be 52, but construction worker Akimichi Takada is finding it easier to carry heavy loads--thanks to a robotic power suit.

The “HAL for Labor Support” robotic suit is worn around the waist and equipped with motor-driven arms to assist workers who have to frequently bend their knees and bodies to lift and carry weighty materials.

Construction workers wear Cyberdyne Inc.’s HAL robotic suits in Tokyo in June. (Hikaru Uchida)

“I felt uncomfortable when I first wore the suit,” said Takada, who often carries long steel bars in the suit. “But it reduces my physical burden and I now feel working in the suit is fun.”

Daiwa House Industry Co. began trial operations of Cyberdyne Inc.’s robotic exoskeleton in May in an effort to alleviate the issue of aging and labor shortages at construction sites.

Daiwa, which invests in Cyberdyne, an entrepreneurial spinoff from the University of Tsukuba, said it intends to fully introduce the HAL robotic suit in 2016. In the meantime, it is carrying out tests and analyzing the data to identify procedures for which the power assist suit is most useful.

With the robotic arms pushing the user’s thighs, the robotic suit can reduce the burden put on the lower back of the worker by 40 percent when the person lifts heavy objects and engages in other Tasks.

Workers wearing HAL robotic suits carry a steel bar at a construction site in Tokyo in June. (Hikaru Uchida)

Cyberdyne in May exported its products overseas for the first time. The manufacturer received inquiries from logistics firms and international airport operators in Germany, said company officials. French construction firms and other companies have also shown an interest in the robot suits.