Published on01/29/08
If you are working in the construction industry, I'm sure you can identify with all the aches and pains that seem to pop up out of nowhere after an honest, hard day's work. The half-body robot from Nagoya University could change that situation, being a one-handed power suit that was specially developed to help construction workers fit ceiling panels. The workman first uses his own strength to guide the panel into position, whereby the machinery will take over and hold it in place for fixing while the workman effortlessly rivets or screws it into place. The current prototype is still deemed too bulky for commercial use, so expect further slimming down efforts from the team of researchers at the university.