Cyborg Daiku

[kurohinge1]

No, I'm not talking about mechanical lesbians.

One of the latest proposed "wearable robots", is for carpenters ("daiku"):

Applied scientists and engineers at Nagayo University in Japan introduced a prototype wearable half-robotic device designed for carpentry workers. The study of carpentry workers utilizing the device in the task of fitting ceiling boards in place concludes marked reduction in muscle output force, thereby reducing arm fatigue. Further study is on going to reduce weight, size and low adjusting speed of the device. The next phase will test the overall effectiveness of the half-robot aid to workers . . . more

Meanwhile, another mad team of scientists seems to have developed a robot suit that will allow you to squat to use a Japanese toilet ("benjo") while at the same time carrying a 20 kg sack of potatoes!



It must be a cultural thing.

[Taro Toporific]

One of the latest proposed "wearable robots", is for carpenters ("daiku"):

Let's count the machine-translation mistakes in their ]Robot for Assisting Carpentry Workers (PDF)[/URL] :

"Robot"
---> Single-purpose exoskeleton

"Carpentry Workers"
---> drywallers

"The work of fitting ceiling boards"
---> Hanging drywall for ceilings

"it requires large muscular power."
---> ....etc...


[INDENT]
Development of a Wearable Robot for
Assisting Carpentry Workers
Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, JAPAN (PDF)
Abstract: The work of fitting ceiling boards is one of the hardest in carpentry, as it requires large muscular power. Hence there is a need to develop assisting apparatus for such work. In order to use this apparatus anywhere a wearable robot is the most suitable. As the robot must be autonomous and lightweight, a design requiring low power is proposed. A semi-active control method has been developed using springs, which requires low energy but satisfies the requirements of compliance and assistive force. In this paper several aspects of design, control and experiments of the developed prototype is explained. The experimental results prove that the robot reduces the muscular fatigue of carpentry worker by providing suitable assistive force.



[/INDENT]