New muscle suit could turn average citizen into Iron Man

on Wednesday,November 25,2009 21:11

Japan has long been viewed as the home of technological innovations in consumer electronics like TVS, cell phones and game consoles, but a new release from a group of student designers at Tokyo''s University of Science could have implications reaching far beyond fun and games.

The students have developed an advanced robotic muscle suit, a collection of pressurized air rubber tubes sewn together designed to assist weakened or injured muscles perform strenuous activities.

The new design, an update of earlier innovations which have assisted muscles in the back and arms, is lighter and more compact, allowing for targeted assistance to specific regions according to PC World magazine.

As part of a demonstration showcasing the potential of the product, a student was tasked with carrying 22-pound bags of rice with and without the suit. Without the suit the student managed three bags before succumbing to exhaustion, but with the suit on he was able to add an additional two bags to his load.

The goal of the suits is to assist the elderly and enfeebled to regain full functionality again, and assisting workers with physically demanding jobs.