It’s a choice that most people "who are capable of walking and maneuvering on their own, but who can benefit from additional leg and body support while performing tasks” face every morning. What’s more important to me today, reducing the load on my leg muscles or not supporting my body weight almost entirely by my balls?
Now to be fair, I’m sure that Honda has taken things into consideration and made its Experimental Walking Assist Device as comfortable as possible “down there” and your weight may very well be supported a little further back, so let’s give Honda the benefit of the doubt until it comes out with a “Blogging Assist Device” that I can try.
Honda’s first generation assisted walking device was released in April of this year and “was designed for people with weakened leg muscles.” This second version is for otherwise healthy people that do a lot of lifting, standing, and squatting all day. As such, workers in one of Honda’s factories will be testing this device.
Key Features:
1. Convenient sitting-type device
- The individual simply needs to wear shoes and raise the seat into place.
- The user can benefit from the assist without belts fastening the device to their body.
- The structure to position the device between the individual’s legs minimizes the required footprint, therefore making it easier for them to maneuver.
2. Method to assist bodyweight support
- The device will support a portion of the person’s bodyweight by lifting the seat as the frame between the shoe and seat bends and extends, just like knees, with the force from the motor. As a result, the load on leg muscles and joints (in the hip, knees, and ankles) is reduced.
- Honda developed a unique mechanism where the seat and frame follow the movement of the body and legs. The assisting force will be directed toward the individual’s center of gravity, just as with human legs, which enables the device to provide assistance in various movements and postures including walking, going up and down stairs, and in a semi-crouching position.
3. Natural control of the assisting force
- Natural walking is achieved by changing the amount of assisting force applied to the right and left legs through the control of two motors based on the information obtained though sensors imbedded in the shoes of the device.
- The effectiveness of the device was increased in those motions and postures which put increased load on knees, such as going up and down stairs and in a semi-crouching position. This was achieved by adjusting the assisting force in accordance with the bending and stretching motion of the knees.
The device weighs in at around 14 pounds and makes use of two motors and a lithium ion battery that’s good for about two hours of run time. Check out the video at the top of the post to see the apparatus in action.
Well that doesn’t look comfortable.
This is the second comment I’ve seen so far about this thing by someone who doesn’t understand the implications of it. While the American auto industry is floundering because of its lack of vision and sheer stupidity (see the SUV), the Japanese are developing products that have half-wits scratching their heads wondering “why?”. I’ll tell you why, it’s called the future and the future is robotics and unless the U.S. starts turning out more engineers from it’s schools as opposed to wannabe movie stars (not to belittle the importance of art in schools) and money hungry business majors, we are gonna continue to get our asses handed to us in very innovative ways that leave the clueless chuckling that stupid laugh of the woefully ignorant. Why, indeed.
Since I began to follow this assisted walking device from Honda Motors months back, I as well have seen those that just do not get it with ridiculous web comments. Like myself in the minority – cheerleaders serving others needs as well knows — “that we make it happen” — and will always be surrounded by the crowd that will be saying – “it can not happen” or “I will wait and see” and of course those who are scratching their heads and saying “What Happened?”, With the innovation like this Walking Devise which seems so simple that many many all over the world may actual use it or another product to positively impact their lives.
I HAVE JUST BEEN CLUED INTO THE DEVICE.
IF THE PICTURES ARE TRUE,I WOULD LIKE TO TRY IT.I AM IN MY 70’s
BUT I AM CONFINED TO AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR AT THE PRESENT TIME
I HAVE MOBILITY WITH MY LEGS ARMS AND THIS WOULD BE FINE. IF IT WORKS THAT WOULD BE GREAT!
BILL
am with generalize muscle weakness.
I walk with two elbow crotches.
can this help in my walking disability problem?
I need to try one if that possible, just tell me how and where please.
I live in London.
Thank you Japan
I think this looks like a wonderful start on a very useful product. I am a nurse and see many different things and we need innovative products like this. Some of the comments I have seen are are ignorant, really. We are going to live longer and that means we will work longer out of necessity. Honda keep working on this. Kudos to you.
I am very excited about this product! I suffer from MS and walking has become very slow and laborous. I would love to try this product. I am 39 and hate this slower version of my life! Thanks for thinking outside the box Honda!
Very interested in following the development of the Honda walking assistance program. Please keep me on the E-mail trail ! Thanks Mr. Honda.
Wow, there are still posts coming for this thing. I commented in November of 2008. Who knew the turn the economy would take and the sorry direction of things. All the more reason to innovate.