The Cyberdyne Corporation (based in Japan) has created a robotic suit called HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) to allow people who suffer from spiral cord injuries, physical disabilities or stroke induced paralysis, to walk and carry as much as ten times more weight than normal.

Originally created for climbing mountains, the suit weighs in at 23kg, and comes with robotic limbs which are controlled by thoughts. This works when nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscle. The surface of the skin can detect the faint signals, telling the suit to move in accordance with the user’s thought process. The user can complete of number of everyday tasks, such as standing, walking, going up and down the stairs, etc. And with a five-hour battery life, it could be quite practical for everyday use.

The cost of renting the suit is proposed to be about £1370 pounds per month.